Redemption and Vengeance
by applefladapple
Summary: He killed her parents. She hunted him for ten years. Ten long years. Finally. She found him. So how is this a romance story, you might be wondering? Well. Read it and see. Rated M. Vayne X Talon. What else do you need to know? Why are you even still reading this? I told you to read the story, so why aren't you right now? DISCLAIMER: CHARACTERS BELONG TO THE RITO GAMZ. ENJOY, BOYYYZ
1. Prologue

**Prologue: Birth of the Night Hunter**

All was silent in the house of Vayne. A girl lay silently in her bed, tossing and turning, but she couldn't sleep. She was too busy thinking about the day, her friends, the teachers, the bullies. She sniffled quietly as her eyes prickled, and tears threatened to spill over her cheeks. She could still hear their teasing ringing in her head; she could still see them when she closed her eyes.  
 _'Shauna looked up from her locker as she heard footsteps approaching, echoing around the corridor before fading away. Her three worst favourite people approached; Jannet, Jarcy, and Jayla. Shauna shut her locker with a slam. "What do you want?" she spat, putting as much venom into her voice as possible. "Shauna, Shauna, why the bad attitude? We're friends, right?" mocked Jannet, draping an arm around Shauna's neck. "I am not your friend!" shouted Shauna defiantly. The three bullies laughed cruelly. "Well Shauna, if you aren't our friend..." started Jarcy, "Then I guess you're our enemy..." whispered Jayla. Suddenly, she felt Jannet's arm tighten around her, and she was thrown to the floor. She looked up fearfully as the bullies closed in. They beat her mercilessly, kicking as soon as they found an opening. Hardly anyone wandered down the halls, and those who did hurried along, ignoring the violent scene. After what seemed like ages, the blows stopped, and Shauna heard footsteps quickly fading away. She heard footsteps approaching again and curled up, fearing another beating. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was Mr Brian's concerned face, looking down at her...'_  
She was snapped back to reality by a noise, barely audible over the sound of her breathing. She lay there for a while, until she began to think she had just imagined it. Then she heard it again, louder this time. She sat up in bed, eyes adjusting to the darkness, and listened for the sound. There was nothing for a moment except for the sound of her frightened breathing, occasionally disturbed by a noise from outside. A minute passed, but it felt more like five. Then she heard it; a soft noise sounding from her parents bedroom. A gargled scream. Shauna got up and raced to the bedroom, dodging obstacles as she stumbled through the dark. Once or twice she tripped, but that didn't stop her. Her only thought was to get to her parents, to make sure they were okay. She reached the bedroom, and hesitantly, pushed open the door, and saw... her parents, lying in bed. She sighed in relief, and almost turned to go, but something caught her eye. Something dark, on the covers, where their chests were. Shauna crept into the room, her bare feet making not a sound on the floorboards. She stopped by her father, squinting through the dark at the sheets, and let out a stifled scream. There were red stains on the sheets. Bloodstains. She shook her father trying to wake him, but he wouldn't stir. Neither would her mother. Her eyes prickled, and silent tears slid down her cheeks. She turned to run, to hide, and as she did, she saw a boy about her age, crouched on the windowsill, a bloodstained knife in his hand. Their eyes locked for a split second, and then he was gone.

* * *

Shauna was running, running, away from the house and after the boy, as fast as her tired legs would go. In her arms she carried her father's large wooden crossbow, which he used for hunting bears during the hunting season. There were few people up at that time, and those who were lurked in the shadows, just out of her field of vision. They reached out to her with long, pale arms, clutching at her clothes and her hair, but she ignored them. There were no sounds except the sound of her bare feet slapping against the cobblestones, and the pounding rain. As she ran, tears rolled down her cheeks, mingling with the raindrops and splashing onto the pavement. By now she was tired, so tired, but the thought of rest never entered her head. Her only thought was to run, to catch the boy, who was running steadily ahead, although starting to slow down now. Gradually, she started to catch up, but just as she was about to catch him, he dashed into a dark alley. They ran through the alley, tripping and stumbling over rubbish and forgotten toys. They ran, one chasing the other, but neither ever stopped or slowed now. Finally, they reached a dead end, where the walls rose tall and menacing around them. Shauna pointed her crossbow at the boy, making sure she was well back so he did not make a lunge for it. His eyes, occasionally flickering to the walls, were fixed on the crossbow. "Why did you do it?" Shauna asked in a quiet, grieving voice. Her hands started to shake uncontrollably with her sadness and the weight of the crossbow. They stood silently, the girl waiting for an answer, the boy saying nothing. "WHY?! TELL ME! WHY THE HELL DID YOU KILL THEM?!" she screamed desperately, staring wildly through her wet hair. Still the boy remained silent, standing as still as a statue, his eyes fixed on the crossbow. "Why won't you tell me?" she sobbed, the crossbow clattering to the cobbles as she sank to her knees. "Why won't you tell me?" she whispered, staring at the ground, the rain pelting the pavement around her as she cried silently. Eventually, she looked up, and was not surprised to see the boy was gone. Shaking a little, she got to her feet, the sounds around her meaningless. She did not feel the rain turn to sleet, and she did not feel the broken glass cutting into her feet as she staggered towards the way out, the crossbow in her arms. Shauna found her way to the exit and stood there in the rain, silently contemplating her loss. She remained there for what seemed like hours, the freezing sleet pounding the cobbles. The shadowy figures stared, and somebody came over and asked her if she was alright, but she couldn't hear or see anything. Eventually, Shauna Vayne closed her eyes, and the Night Hunter opened them.

* * *

On a distant rooftop, a boy, hands slick with blood, was watching, as the girl's life fell apart, and he felt not a flicker of remorse.

* * *

 **A/N: This is the prologue of what i want to be a long fanfic, but, knowing my lazy self, i will probably turn it into a heap of trash. Let me know what you think and what you want to happen and i'll try to incorporate it into the story sooner or later.**

 **Thanks guys!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Return**

Vayne knelt on the soft grass, a swift breeze playing with her hair, tangling it across her face. Her eyes, as ever hidden behind her red sunglasses, were closed. Around her, candles were lit, flickering in the wind. Her hands were raised to her forehead as she murmured long continuous strings of words. She never hesitated; by now she knew the words by heart. She had knelt there for hours now; her knees had left deep imprints in the springy grass. She muttered meaningless words, talking to her dead parents, trying to understand. She was still kneeling, when somebody behind her spoke.

"That's quite a ceremony you got there."

In an instant, Vayne was on her feet, crossbow aimed at the newcomer. She assessed him; grey hair, about the same height as her, probably around his sixties. He had a kindly face, with crinkles in the corners of his eyes. He wore a ragged blue shirt, and his pants would have been the same colour if they weren't covered in mud and dirt. He held a pitchfork in his hand; the kind you use for forking hay into haystacks. 'Farmer,' she thought in relief. He didn't pose much of a threat, but she didn't lower her crossbow. Even though he seemed genuinely friendly enough, he might still prove to be an enemy. That pitchfork could cause some serious damage.

"Easy, easy!" chuckled the farmer, holding up his hands in mock terror, "That thing could go off at any minute!" The crossbow didn't waver. "Who are you, and why are you here?" asked Vayne, her voice devoid of emotion. The farmer didn't reply for a moment, chewing on a long piece of grass. Eventually, he appeared to come up with an answer that suited the question.

"Well, my name is Patrick McGraddy, but you're welcome to call me Paddy. As for why I'm here, I was passing through to see an old friend of mine, when I saw you on this here hill, kneeling on the ground. So I thought to myself 'Well blow me down, if it isn't a person up there, kneeling and saying some kind of prayer!' So I stood there for a few minutes, until I realized you weren't moving for a while! And, excusing my curious nature, I came up here to talk to you, and here we are!" The farmer finished his little speech with a chuckle, and asked a question of his own. "And now that I've answered your question, would you care to state your name? And also, pardon if it seems like I'm prying, what you are doing here?"

Vayne remained silent for a moment before replying. "My name is Shauna Vayne, and I'm here for the tenth anniversary of my parents' deaths. What you see here is their grave," she said, gesturing to the candles, and a small slab of stone. Paddy's eyes widened in recognition at the name. "Little Shauna?" he whispered, "But you've been gone for so long... Do you remember me?" Slowly, Vayne shook her head. Many people had visited her father, but she didn't recognize the man standing before her.

"Pity, pity," said the old man slowly, shaking his head. "Come on," he started, "You can stay at my house for the night; it's just me and my family, we have a place for you to sleep-"

"Thank you," said Vayne, cutting him off, "but I need to get back to my hideout; i wouldn't dream of intruding on your household."

"No, no, I insist!" said Paddy, shaking his head and pulling at her arm. "You must stay there, you must! It's been so long, I want to know where you've been all these years! And besides," he muttered, casting a glance at the sinking sun, "it's getting dark; soon it'll be pitch black!" The old man started to hobble down the hill. "Hurry along now!" he hollered over his shoulder, "I don't want to be caught in the dark! This is a pretty rough neighborhood."

"I know," muttered Vayne, "Believe me, I do." And with that, she blew out the candles and set off after Paddy, long hair whipping in the wind.

* * *

They had been walking for a while now; already it was almost dark, and shady figures lurked in the alleyways. "Too far away," wheezed Paddy, "We'll have to stay at an inn for the night." Vayne didn't respond; she had stayed at plenty of inns during her travels. They kept walking for a few more minutes. It was almost dark, and by now Vayne was wondering if this inn actually existed. She was about to voice her thoughts, when Paddy said 'Here' and stumbled through a doorway. Vayne followed suit, making sure her cloak didn't get caught on any stray nails. They arrived at the counter, the bustle and noise around them faltering a little; Paddy fell onto a stool, while Vayne remained standing up. The innkeeper shuffled in; he was a large man, a head taller than her, and twice as wide as her slender frame. When he saw Paddy, his troubled face cleared up.

"Hey, Paddy! Long time no see!" called the innkeeper, vigorously shaking the farmer's hand. "And who's this?" he inquired politely, smiling while he spoke.

"This," began Paddy, "is Miss Shauna Vayne. Remember, about ten years back, when Simon and Maria Vayne were murdered, and little Shauna went missing?" The innkeeper nodded. "I remember," he said, shuddering, "Horrible business." The farmer nodded, eyes glinting in the dim light of the inn, and replied, "Well, this is the same Shauna Vayne! She's come home!"

"I see," nodded the barkeeper. "Well, it's nice to meet you Shauna. My name is Wilfred, and I run this here inn."

"Nice to meet you too," replied Vayne, "But please, just call me Vayne." The innkeeper chuckled. "As you wish, Vayne. Now," he said, focusing back on Paddy, "I'm assuming you want two rooms for the night?" Paddy nodded, smiling a little. "Right as always, Wilfred." The burly innkeeper nodded, rubbing his hands together. "Okay. Here are your keys- rooms 41, and 42," he said, handing the keys to each person in turn. "I'll have your dinner brought up to you." Paddy nodded, fumbling in his purse. "How much do I owe you then?" asked Paddy, still rummaging around. Wilfred chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Paddy," he replied, "You don't owe me anything."

Paddy beamed. "Why thanks, Wilfred! Thanks a lot!" Wilfred nodded solemnly. "It's nothing. Anything for an old friend of mine." In the background, the sound of glass breaking and men yelling began. "See you later Paddy. I gotta go deal with these rabble rousers," he grumbled. "Goodnight!" called Paddy after his retreating form. Vayne watched him go. "He seemed a bit stressed," noted Vayne. Paddy shook his head. "Nah, his plate is just a bit full, what with maintaining the inn and dealing with the troublemakers all day."

"He seemed nice though," replied Vayne, turning to face Paddy. "He is," said Paddy, smiling a little sadly, "He's the best friend a man could wish for. Now come on, let's get you to bed." They trudged tiredly up the stairs until they reached rooms 40-49. "Goodnight," called Paddy, before he entered his room. Vayne simply nodded. Fumbling a little with the key, she inserted it into to lock. Turning the key, she pushed open the door and entered. The room was nice, in a homely, familiar sort of way. There was little decoration, and a hearth was already lit, the blazing fire casting orange light on the wall. In an adjacent room, a toilet and a sink were standing.

She was still looking around the room when a knock sounded through the wooden door. A voice called out. "Miss Vayne... I have your dinner." Vayne walked over to the door and opened it, thanking the servant for the meal. It smelled like heaven. Her mouth watering, she walked over to the table and plonked down in a chair, setting the meal down in front of her. It was a steak, along with some steamed vegetables and a side of salad, and it looked delicious. Vayne began to eat, sighing in content as she swallowed the food. When she had finished, she got up, leaving the plate on the table. In the corner of the room, a bed was nestled, covers neatly made and waiting for her use. She pulled off her boots, and with a sigh, she flopped down onto the bed. 'This bed is pretty comfy,' she thought in surprise. In her experience, public beds were generally lumpy and had bedsprings sticking out. She took off her sunglasses and laid them on the bedside table. She lay there, listening to the creaking of the building, and the drunken singing and shouting coming from below her. Her eyelids kept closing... closing... closing... She fought valiantly to keep them open, but in the end, it was too much for her. Vayne fell fast asleep, her the sound of her soft breathing filling the empty room.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello again everyone! This is the first chapter (not including the prologue) of my new fanfic. Sorry about the kinda boring chapter. So far, its... not a pile of trash yet, to say the least. In my opinion anyway. And before you flame me for last chapter, i already know its not how her lore goes. Her lore says her parents are killed by a witch. It'll be explained later on, don't worry about it. Anyway, if you have any questions or comments, then leave a review. They're greatly appreciated!**

 **Darkshadow: Thanks for being the first to review, i will try to keep up the chapters.**

 **Thanks guys!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Dreaming**

 _Vayne opened her eyes. She was back in her home, where she used to live before she went on the run. It was dark, and the moon was out. She lay in bed, tossing and turning. Something was too familiar about this scene... Vayne heard a noise, barely audible over the sound of her breathing. She lay there for a while, until she began to think she had just imagined it. Then she heard it again, louder this time. Vayne narrowed her eyes as she sat up. She knew this... it had already happened. Softly, she crept to her parents' bedroom, pushing open the door. They lay in their bed, the sheets stained red with their blood. Slowly, almost cautiously, she looked towards the window. The dark figure of the boy was crouched there, blade glinting in the moonlight, dripping blood from the tip. His head turned towards her, and their eyes locked for a split second and then he was gone. Gritting her teeth, Vayne vaulted out the window, not bothering with her crossbow. 'Not this time,' she thought, sprinting after him. They ran in the rain, legs pounding against the cobbles, but neither slowed down for a second. Gradually, Vayne found herself gaining on him. Just as she was about to catch him, he dashed into a dark alley, as she had predicted. They ran through the alley, tripping and stumbling over rubbish and forgotten toys. They ran, one chasing the other, but neither ever stopped or slowed now. Finally, they reached a dead end, where the walls rose tall and menacing around them. The boy stopped, looking around him, and turned to face her, his face shadowed by his hood. Vayne stood, her hands bunched into fists. "Who are you?" she asked menacingly, her voice sounding lost in the darkness. "WHO ARE YOU!?"_

 _"Why Vayne..." said the boy in a deep, familiar voice, "it's me, your father." And as he looked up, Vayne could see her father's face, twisted cruelly in a gruesome smile. Vayne stumbled backwards, falling onto her hands. "No," she whispered, "No, it can't be..." But then, it seemed to morph and bubble, and Vayne now found herself looking at her mother's face. "Don't be scared, dearie," said her mother, smiling at her, "I'm not going to hurt you." Desperately, Vayne scrambled backwards, trying to escape the horror. Again, it kept changing, and Vayne found herself looking at Paddy, Wilfred, all the faces she had ever seen, staring down at her. And although the faces kept changing, the eyes stayed the same, always those soft, brown eyes, the eyes of the boy... And even as she thought it, the face changed back to the one she hated, the boy himself. He stepped forwards, grinning in a twisted grin, the image searing itself into her eyes. The boy laughed, laughed with a thousand voices, until it was all she could hear. It echoed around her, filling her brain, until everything seemed to turn dark, until it was just her and the boy. She stood up, shaking with fear and anger. "I'll find you, boy," she spat, glaring into his eyes, "and when I do, I'm going to kill you. In the most painful way possible. For my parents." The figure in front of her seemed to writhe in the darkness, changing, until she saw... herself. An exact copy. The copy spoke. "But Vayne... is that what your parents would have wanted?" Vayne clenched her fists. "Yes. I'm sure of it," she replied, her voice sounding harsh, completely unlike her normal voice. "But Vayne..." replied the copy," what do_ _ **you**_ _want?" The words seemed to echo around the empty darkness, until it seemed to turn into laughter again, echoing...echoing...echoing..._

Vayne's eyes flew open and, she sat bolt upright with a gasp. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, lighting up the room in a dim light. She could still hear the terrible laughter, and her own words, echoing around her head and eating away at her resolve. Angrily, she shook her head, dispelling all remaining laughter out of her head. Wearily, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, slipping her feet into her boots. She got up, and padded to the bathroom. She turned on the tap, relishing the cold water as she splashed it onto her face. It shocked her awake, the cold cutting through her sleepiness like a knife, and she straightened up. Groaning a little, she stretched, feeling her back cracking, and she sighed in satisfaction. She walked back into the main room, where she grabbed her sunglasses and slipped them on. Sitting on the bed, she thought about her nightmare. It wasn't the first one; she had been plagued by them for years, ever since her parents were murdered. Ten year's worth of bad sleep, infested with bad dreams. She had tried everything; therapy, dream journals, even thinking good thoughts before she went to sleep, but to no avail; she couldn't escape the nightmares. She shook herself, mentally scolding herself for dwelling on her dreams, when she should be up and _doing_ things. Ending on that thought, she got up and walked into the hallway, ducking her head into Paddy's room. It was the same as hers, except the bed was in a different corner. She looked around. Paddy wasn't there. Sighing, she continued down the stairs, where she met a more subdued version of last night. Hardly anyone was there, and everyone that was talked quietly. 'Then again,' thought Vaynoe to herself, 'most of them are probably upstairs, nursing their hangovers from last night.'

She scanned the room, looking for Paddy. She found him sitting in a corner, nursing a glass of water. She walked over to him. "Just water?" she asked, letting a little amusement creep into her voice. Paddy looked up; when he saw her, he smiled. "Too early in the day for anything else," he replied, turning his gaze back to the wall. Vayne sat opposite to Paddy as he took a long drink of his water. When he had finished it all, he set down his glass on the wooden table. "I ordered our breakfast for us; I hope you don't mind." Vayne said nothing, taking a while to reply. "No, I don't mind," she replied absentmindedly, staring out the window. Paddy started. "Now I know that look," he said, narrowing his eyes, "That's the look of a troubled face. So what's troubling you?" Vayne looked at him. "Was I really that obvious?" she asked. Paddy grinned. "Yup. And I'm also pretty good at judging expressions," he replied, the grin never leaving his face. "It's nothing," said Vayne, "Just a few bad dreams." Paddy knew it wasn't nothing; but he didn't inquire any further. He knew when a conversation was closed, and he was never one for prying anyway. "Okay then," he said, a little skeptically, "Whatever you say." Vayne was about to reply, but was interrupted by a friendly voice. "Morning Miss Vayne," said Wilfred cheerfully, "I trust you enjoyed your sleep?" Vayne nodded politely, her gaze drifting downward to the plates he was carrying. Wilfred chuckled. "A little hungry this morning, are we Miss Vayne?" he asked, setting down the plates on the table. "Yes, thank you Wilfred," she smiled. Wilfred chuckled again, nodding to Paddy, who nodded back. He started to walk away, calling over his shoulder, "Enjoy your meal!" Paddy picked up his utensils, and started to eat. Vayne looked down at her own food. It looked equally as good, if not better, than the food last night. It was fried eggs, along with bacon, toast, and mushrooms. Vayne picked up her fork and knife, and cut a small corner of egg, taking her time to chew it. It was extremely good; better than most food she ate. "This is really good," said Vayne, nodding to her plate, "Wilfred is a really good cook." Paddy chuckled as he cut another bite of egg. "Oh no, Wilfred didn't cook this; he's a terrible cook. His wife did. She cooked your dinner too," he smiled. They ate in silence, with no sounds but the sound of thoughtful chewing and the clinking of the cutlery on the plates. When they had finished, Paddy lent back in his chair, resting his head on his hands.

"I've been meaning to ask you," he said thoughtfully, still leaning, "Where have you been all these years?" Mentally, Vayne sighed. She had been waiting for this question to come up; it had only been a matter of time before Paddy's curious nature got the better of him. The reason she felt compelled to keep this information from him was this; although he seemed nice, he had a fatherly air about him, and Vayne didn't want him to think the journey to find her parents' murderer was too dangerous for her. "Vayne?" he prompted, letting his chair fall forwards again. His voice shook Vayne out of her thoughts. "Well," she started, "it's a long story."

"Go ahead," said Paddy, "we've got all the time in the world." So Vayne told him, about the night of the murder, and her endless search for the killer. She told him all there was to know, and by the time she had finished, it was approaching lunchtime. "Wow," said Paddy in awe, "that's quite a story. No wonder you've been away so long." Vayne nodded, relieved that he didn't seem too motivated to protect her. Paddy looked at his watch, and started in his chair. "We need to get going! It's already almost midday!" he said, standing up. He hurried over to the counter, where Wilfred was sleeping. Vayne followed suit. Paddy nudged Wilfred awake. "Bye Wilfred," said Paddy, handing him his room key. Wilfred took it and hung it back on the wall behind him. Vayne took hers out too, and returned it. "Thanks Wilfred," smiled Paddy. "No problem, no problem!" he chuckled in return, "Any time!" Paddy walked towards the doorway, whistling a cheerful tune. Vayne nodded briefly to the innkeeper, then followed Paddy outside, into the sunlight.

 **A/N: Chapter 2 complete! I'm feeling real good about this story guys... its going well. The first few chapters wont be anything too exciting; just Vayne and Paddy. I'll do a few Talon chapters soon, so don't fret! He will be in the spotlight soon enough! As always, any questions will be answered in the reviews, so be sure to comment on it!**

 **Darkshadow: Thanks for leaving reviews, i appreciate it. As for the romance, i'm afraid that it won't be coming for a looooong time. Sorry about that.**

 **ArcoAcro: Thank you for your words of wisdom, i try my best! And as you said, there won't be too much action yet. Thanks again!**

 **iFireLightning: Your comment is simple, yet it says a lot. Especially the face. Thank you.**

 **Thanks guys!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Run**

They walked for hours on end, feet pounding rhythmically on the beaten, dusty path. They were tired, but they never stopped for a rest. Paddy wanted to make haste so that his family wouldn't worry. He lent heavily on his pitchfork, ensuring he used less energy. Vayne had nothing to lean on, so she found solace in her surroundings, distracting her from her tired legs. She looked around her, appreciating the beauty of nature. There were exotic plants, some with leaves as big as her head, and hidden eyes stared as the pair walked past. There were huge trees, as tall as her old mansion, illuminated in the midday sun. Nestled in the trees were bunches of... parrots? They were colourful, and instead of squawking, they seemed to be calling in a soft voice, calling to her... The birds started to sway a little, spreading their wings, which were covered in swirling patterns... The colourful patterns, the soft noises, the movements of the birds; it all added up to make a hypnotic pattern of light and sound, a pattern that seemed to mesmerize her as she watched. Vayne started whistling a happy tune, oblivious to the strange glances Paddy kept shooting her way. Finally, Paddy could bear it no longer. "Miss Vayne, without meaning to intrude, may ask you what's wrong?" he inquired. Vayne looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean 'what's wrong'?" she asked, her surprise hidden behind her sunglasses. "Well..." replied Paddy uneasily, "you aren't usually this...well...cheerful." Vayne smiled. "What's wrong with being cheerful?" she asked, throwing a friendly arm around Paddy's shoulders. Paddy backed away, eyes wide. "Okay, from what I've gathered about you in the few hours I've known you, there is something terribly wrong with this picture. You're never cheerful!" Vayne stepped towards him, frowning a little now. "Paddy, there's nothing wrong," Vayne said, "I'm always cheerful..."

Paddy backed away again, shaking his head, while Vayne kept walking towards him. "What is it?" Vayne heard him mutter, "What am I missing?" Paddy's eyes wandered from her face... to the trees... to the birds nestled there... His eyes widened, and he swore under his breath. "Gralkins..." he whispered, eyes widened in terror. "What? asked Vayne, having misheard. "Behind you..." Paddy said in a shaking whisper. Vayne frowned, turning around to look behind her. "Where?" she asked skeptically. "All I can see is those birds over there." Paddy pointed to the parrots. Vayne frowned again. Had he gone crazy? "Paddy, those are just harmless little parrots. Look, I'll go over and show you that they won't hurt you." Paddy snatched at her arm, eyes wild. "No, no! You don't understand! Those parrots aren't really parrots; they're Gralkins!" Vayne stared at him for a moment, before bursting out in peals of helpless laughter. She doubled over, clutching at her stomach, while tears of mirth streamed from her eyes. Paddy looked at her worriedly. Vayne laughing? This was not a good sign. Even when she was a little girl, she was very silent and serious. Paddy had never seen her laugh, not even once. Comparing her to the Vayne before him, they could have been separate people. "Gralkins!" she squealed, slapping her knee, "Good one Paddy!" Paddy shook his head. "No, really, I'm being serious!" But Vayne kept laughing. Finally, Paddy suddenly seemed to snap. "Fine! Go! See where it gets you!" Vayne recoiled as if she had been slapped. "Hey, what's up with the shouting? I think you just need a hug..." Vayne stepped towards Paddy, arms outstretched, but he shoved her away. Vayne shook her head. "Paddy, if this is really tormenting you so much, I will, okay? And it'll prove they really are just parrots." She slowly walked over to the parrots, suddenly starting to doubt herself. What if Paddy was right? After all, he did live around here. Vayne was about to turn back, to apologize to Paddy, but suddenly the bird calls grew stronger, and more urgent, and she once again walked towards the birds, oblivious to her surroundings. She walked quicker, trying to reach the birds.

In the end, it was her fighter's reflexes that saved her. A blur of motion came from the tree, and Vayne threw herself out of the way, diving into a roll that brought her back to her feet. She looked back to where she had been standing a moment ago. In her place, launched with deadly accuracy, was a single feather, quivering slightly, embedded in a rock. The point was glimmering, and the rock it was embedded in was cracked. Even as she watched, it crumbled into dust, leaving the feather on the ground. Vayne looked again at the parrots, this time noticing their sharpened talons; their sharp, hooked beaks; and a cruel light shining in their eyes. Dimly, she registered Paddy shouting in the distance, but she zoned herself out. This was a life-or-death moment. A single sudden movement, and she would be skewered like a pincushion. Slowly, she began to step backwards, her hands raised in peace. The parrots-no, Gralkins- watched with something akin to amusement in their eyes. They cawed restlessly, but made no movement to pursue her. Slowly, carefully, she backed away getting further and further away from the cluster of Gralkins. She was almost there, almost safe, just a little further- _snap_. She had snapped a twig. Vayne began sprinting, aware that the restless cawing had turned into a menacing screeching. Behind her, feathers struck the ground, just inches from her heels. Wildly, she looked around for Paddy, but she needn't have worried; Paddy was already far ahead, running for his life. Putting on a burst of speed, she caught up to him. "Wow," she gasped breathlessly, "You're pretty fast for an old guy." Paddy cracked a weary smile. "I was, back in the day," he panted, his sentence constantly interrupted by his gasping, and the sound of the enraged birds, "I was the champion runner of our town." Vayne was mildly impressed by this; she had not known Paddy was that athletic. Seeing her expression, he said hastily, "Oh not for a long time. When I was in my twenties." Twisting around, he saw a black cloud pursuing them. It seemed that their Gralkins had been joined by all the rest; hundreds- no, thousands of screeching, cawing birdlike creatures, their features now rapidly morphing into their true form.

They had the head of a baboon, the body and wings of a bird, the feet of a goat, and they were covered from head to toe with spikes and teeth and claws. There were masses of them, the sky blotted out by the black cloud. "Almost...there..." Paddy gasped desperately, trying to ignore the burning he felt in his chest. They reached a clearing. In the middle, there was a tiny cottage, squatting insignificantly in the middle of the dark jungle. On the front porch, a small, worried-looking woman stood, anxiously wringing her wrists. When she saw Paddy, her face lit up, only to go slack a moment later as she saw what was chasing them. "Get...the...flares..." Paddy wheezed. The woman nodded, and dashed inside. Meanwhile, the cloud of Gralkins was steadily gaining on them, and by now, Vayne could see down their savage, snarling throats. Paddy gave her a weak smile. "Don't...worry..." he panted, "almost...safe..." They had almost reached the open door, when Paddy cried out and fell to the ground. Vayne skidded to a stop, and ran back to him. Wincing, he held his leg. "Go," he said, waving her on, "don't stop, run!" Vayne ignored him, observing the incoming danger with a strategist's eye. There were far too many, but she couldn't just leave him there. Determined, Vayne got out her crossbow, firing at the creatures with renewed vigor. "What are you...doing?" he gasped. Vayne replied, without missing a beat, "Saving your life." Vayne was accurate, never missing a shot, but there were too many, and they were slowly getting nearer. In his heart, Paddy knew he could not let her die as well, but there was nothing he could do. Helplessly, he watched the endless wave come nearer and nearer. Paddy closed his eyes and waited for the darkness to envelope him... WHOOM! A sudden flare of heat scorched the back of his neck, and he opened his eyes to see the Gralkins wheel around, screeching, retreating back to their perch. Vayne looked around, seeing the woman standing there, a smoking flare gun in her hand. With a cry, she dropped it, and ran to Paddy's side, dropping to her knees. "Thank you... dear..." said Paddy, before he closed his eyes.

 **A/N: Its been what, a week since i last updated? Sorry, i just had a little bit of writer's block. Yeah. Three chapters in. But its so hard to make it interesting without rushing straight into the story. I don't know how they do it. Anyways, I was writing this chapter, and then I realized that it was reeeeeaaaally, reeeeeeeeeeeaaaaally long, so I had to divide it into two chapters, which i why I released two at once. Don't worry, they are still the normal length! I hope these two chapters make up for the long wait. Sorry again.**

 **Guest: Thanks, i'm really trying my hardest. Or maybe not.**

 **Thanks guys!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Emergency**

The woman looked fragile, like she would break into tears at any moment, but she pulled it together. Signalling to the house, she said urgently, "Get a phone. Call a healer." Nodding, Vayne ran to the cottage, feeling like her legs would betray her at any moment, but she didn't stop running. Entering a dusty room, she saw two young children, seated at the table, eating. Startled, they looked up as she entered. Briskly, she asked, "Where's the phone?" Wordlessly, they pointed to a bench, where a cordless phone rested. Snatching it up, Vayne dialed 107- the emergency number for Demacia- and pressed call. She hurried outside, fumbling with the phone, where she saw the woman, kneeled besides Paddy. From the other side of the line, a pleasant female voice sounded. "This is the emergency line, how may I-"

"I need a healer," Vayne cut in, "send one quickly." With that, she hung up. She didn't worry about the location. The emergency line had magical trackers that centered the point of the call so that they could locate the injured. She dropped the phone to the ground and strode over to Paddy. "Where is the injury?" asked Vayne. The woman didn't respond, instead moving to the side so that Vayne could see. Stuck in his lower calf, glimmering in the afternoon sunlight, was a single acid green feather. It was only a small wound, but the skin around it was turning pale, and the veins were highlighted in an ugly, dark green. "Poison," Vayne said in a raw whisper. The woman nodded, still not allowing tears to fall from her eyes. Vayne heard quick footsteps from behind her, and whipped around to see the children running towards them. The woman, obviously their mother, quickly got up, hiding Paddy from view. "Mother, mother!" the bigger one cried, "Where's father? Is he back yet?" The smaller one said, pointing to Vayne, "Who's that?" The woman ignored their questions, ushering them back inside the cottage. She closed the door and warned them very sternly not to come back out. Vayne watched, feeling an ache in her heart. She turned back around, to where Paddy lay on the ground, unconscious. She saw the poison, spreading slowly towards his heart. By now, he was completely pale, and he was sweating and shivering and muttering in his sleep. From behind her, a voice rang out. "Hello," said the woman, extending a hand. Vayne turned around, and took it. "They were my kids, Johnny and Tyson. My name is Angelina, but you can just call me Angie." Vayne nodded, replying, "My name is Shauna Vayne, but I would prefer it if you just called me Vayne." At the sound of her name, Angie's eyes widened slightly and she seemed to forget all about Paddy. "Little Shauna?" said Angie, closely inspecting her face. Vayne smiled. "That's exactly how Paddy reacted when I told him my name." When Vayne said Paddy's name, Angie seemed to remember what she had been doing. She walked over to him, dropping to her knees. She stroked his cheek, as Vayne watched on in silence. Eventually, Vayne spoke. "What were those things?" she asked. Angie didn't move. "Why do you want to know?" she asked, her voice heavy with concern. "I've never seen those before. And believe me, I've seen a lot of the evil that walks this world," replied Vayne, hefting her crossbow. Angie sighed. "Fair enough," she said, "Those were Gralkins. Demonic creatures that disguise themselves as animals, usually birds. The only thing they are afraid of is fire. They lure in their victims with their voices and the hypnotizing patterns on their wings. Once they have it, they take it back to the Gralking, their leader. The Gralking is also the source of their power; they are usually just mischievous beings that like to play tricks on people, imps or goblins. Once they are under the Gralking's control, they turn into those... things." She finished her speech with a gesture in the direction that the Gralkins had headed. Vayne was going to ask more, but was interrupted by a flash of light from next to her. A healer stepped out; a purple-skinned being with a horn protruding from her forehead. As Vayne looked down, she could also see that she had donkey's hooves. The healer said hurriedly, "Hello, my name is Soraka. I will be your hea-"

"What took you so long?" said Vayne angrily, stepping in front of her. The healer eyed her coolly, replying, "I suppose you aren't familiar with our processes?" Vayne was about to retort, when Angie interrupted. "Girls, girls, we have time for this later. Right now, my husband is in deep trouble, and he can't get out on his own." Soraka nodded, pushing through Vayne and Angie to get to Paddy. She observed him for a moment. "He's been poisoned. Normally, I would be able to heal it, but this poison is ancient, far beyond my healing capabilities." Angie started. "So what do we do?" she asked, glancing worriedly at Paddy. "Right now, all I can do is apply a tourniquet, to cut off the circulation to his leg, and I can use my magic to slow the poison." She closed her eyes and murmured an ancient hymn, hovering her hand over his leg. A tight strap appeared around the top of his leg, stopping his blood flow to his leg. Her hands glowed, and so did the poison, highlighting their faces in an eerie blue. As they watched, it seemed to slow, until they could barely see it move at all. Soraka grunted. "I'll have to take him back with me," she said in a strained voice, "I need help with this." Angie nodded, the nod barely perceptible. Soraka sighed, and her hands stopped glowing. "That's all I can do for now," she said tiredly, "My magic is exhausted. This poison can't be healed, unless you get me a sample of it from their den." Vayne nodded. "Where is it?" she asked. Angie answered. "It's located on the very tip of Mount Gargantuan, a few day's ride from here by horse."

"Alright," said Vayne determinedly, "I'll go." Angie stood up. "And me," she said, but Vayne was already shaking her head. "No. Your job is to stay here with Johnny and Tyson. They can't be alone." Reluctantly, Angie nodded her head. "Okay. But you're still not going alone. I'm sending a friend of mine to go with you." Vayne huffed impatiently. "Fine, but I hope they can keep up." Angie cracked a smile. "I think you'll find you won't have a problem then."

Vayne stared as her new 'partner' flew around the house, shooting targets as she raced past them. They were only as big as her hand, and already they were peppered with bolts. Angie shouted out to her, "Quinn! QUINN! Get down here, I have a job for you." Quinn looked down, and upon seeing Angie, signaled to the giant blue eagle that was carrying her. Quickly, they descended, and the eagle dropped Quinn. The eagle wheeled around to come and perch on Quinn's outstretched arm. Quinn smiled. "Hi! I'm Quinn, and this is Valor." Upon hearing his name, Valor squawked and flapped his wings. Quinn laughed. "Yeah, I know, she kinda does," replied Quinn, observing Vayne. "What did he say?" asked Vayne curiously. "He said you look kinda serious. But I'm sure we'll become great friends," she said kindly. Valor squawked again. Quinn blushed. "Valor, don't say things like that!" she said, staring furiously at the ground. Valor squawked in something that could have been... laughter? Angie poked Quinn. "Quinn, get back on task. I need you to accompany Vayne to Mount Gargantuan. She needs to go to the Gralkin lair." At the sound of an adventure, Quinn's face visibly brightened. She opened her mouth to respond, but Valor got in first. "Squaaaawk," he squawked, nodding his head in agreement. Quinn giggled. "He said that he would love to go, and he was sure I would too. And I do!" she said. Vayne smiled; there was something about Quinn that made her impossible not to like. "When do we set off?" asked Quinn. Vayne looked around her, realizing it was almost dark. "We'll leave tomorrow, in the morning," she replied, looking back at Quinn, who giggled in excitement. "Great!" said Angie, clapping her hands, "I'd better get going home before it gets dark! Bye!" Angie walked off, waving to Quinn and Vayne. They stood there for a moment, interrupted by a squawk from Valor. Quinn nodded. "Valor's right, we should head inside." Quinn started walking, only stopping when she realized Vayne wasn't following. "Vayne?" she said, hesitantly, "Is something wrong?" Vayne didn't answer; she was too busy thinking about Paddy's family, the two children, Johnny and Tyson. She couldn't let them lose a father; not the way she had lost her own parents. She wouldn't stop until Paddy was cured. And with that last thought, she spun on her heel and followed Quinn to the house.

 **A/N: i guess i don't really need to put this author's note here, but there's a few things i wanted to tell you in this chapter. Firstly, what Valor said that made her blush so much. You must be wondering. I mean, cmon, who's not? Oh. Oh you're not you say. Suuuure. Anyways, in this story i decided to make Quinn...well... attracted to girls...yeah... Valor was simply making fun of her by saying 'maybe you'll become more than friends ;)' Well i got that confession over. The other thing is you have to find out the secret illuminati reference in this story, made up by yours truly, so you won't find it anywhere on the web. If you can't get it, i'll tell you in next chapter's A/N. Thats it... i think... yeah.**

 **Thanks guys!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Confessions**

Vayne muttered in her sleep, tossing and turning under the bedcovers, trapped in a nightmare. She continued to do so, even as night slipped into early morning. Light entered through the small window, illuminating the top of the cramped room. It was overstuffed with old junk, piled up precariously on top of one another. Vayne had not been able to fathom why she kept it all. As Quinn had told Vayne yesterday, she didn't usually have anybody staying over, so the spare bedroom was 'a little messy'. The walls and floor were bare, and cracked, but it had a nice effect. The first light continued to stream in, lighting up dusty old books, broken tennis rackets, ripped clothes, all imaginable types of junk. As the first of the sun's rays touched Vayne's face, her eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright, the covers falling off her. Clutching at her chest, she closed her eyes as she steadied her breathing. 'Another bad dream,' she thought to herself. She would have been content to just sit there, basking in the warm rays, but she sensed something wrong. Slowly, she looked to her right, the opposite side from the wall, and saw Quinn, sitting a few meters away from her, softly snoring. Startled, Vayne pulled her sheets up to cover her almost-bare chest. Quinn seemed to wake with this movement, starting guiltily when she saw Vayne. "Were you watching me sleep?" asked Vayne, a little creeped out.

Quinn blushed. "I- no- I can explain!" she said, face burning. Vayne raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Very well then," she replied, "Explain." Quinn opened and closed her mouth, trying to find a suitable excuse. Finally, she hung her head. "Fine. I was watching you sleep, and then I must have nodded off myself." Vayne's eyebrow didn't budge. "Why, may I ask? And also, don't you think I might find that a little creepy?" Quinn sighed, knowing the time had come for her to tell somebody. "Well, even as a child, I was never really... that into boys..." she started awkwardly, "I felt drawn more towards... girls. That hasn't changed at all over the years. And as for watching you, I thought you were cute... and... You get the idea..." she finished. Vayne stared at her silently, studying her face. Eventually, she sighed, seeing that Quinn had been telling the truth. Vayne had faced giant trolls, slain demonic creatures from the depths of hell, and fought monstrosities that had no right to exist outside of nightmares, but she still didn't know how to react to this without making Quinn feel bad. Eventually, she just decided to get rid of her for now. "Quinn," Vayne said, making her voice sound as neutral as possible. At the sound of her name, Quinn looked up again, her face expectant. "Yes..?" she asked hesitantly, not wishing to creep out Vayne any more. Vayne nodded to the door. "Do you mind leaving?" Hastily, Quinn scrambled up, trying to leave as quickly as possible without looking too eager. Quinn ducked out, shutting the door behind her. When her footsteps had faded down the corridor, Vayne thought it was finally safe. Not able to hold it in any longer, she started to giggle to herself. Quinn into girls? She would never guessed it! She had had a few suspicions, but she had never seriously considered... Shaking her head, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, as she had done only yesterday at Wilfred's inn. Vayne whistled. It was only yesterday since she had last been at the inn... and two days ago she had met Paddy... it all seemed like a lifetime ago... Vayne quickly realized it was also yesterday at breakfast since she had last eaten. She hadn't bothered with dinner yesterday- she had been too busy thinking about her new quest- but now she was beginning to regret it.

Her mind drifting, she began to imagine pancakes... or eggs... or even just cornflakes... Her stomach growled at the thought. Quickly changing back into her clothes Vayne snatched up her trusty crossbow and fixed it to her back. She got up and opened the door, stepping out into the corridor, which was much more pleasant than her room. It was lighter, and the walls were still bare, but not cracked like the others had been. Stretching, she walked slowly to the kitchen, where Quinn was cooking something that smelled heavenly. Vayne leaned on the doorframe, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "So..." she said casually, "What's cooking?" Quinn looked up; she did not look surprised to see her. "Hey Vayne," she said, a little flatly, "I'm just making porridge for breakfast." Vayne nodded. "Anything will do, I'm starving!" she replied enthusiastically. Quinn turned to face her, shifting from foot to foot. "Listen..." she said, rubbing her arm, "I'm sorry about... before. I didn't mean to creep you out." Vayne smiled; in her experiences, most people would just pretend that it had never happened, and be overly cheerful towards her. Quinn was different, and Vayne appreciated that. "It's okay," Vayne said, "I've seen plenty of girls crushing on girls. It's just never happened to me before." Quinn smiled, happy now that her apology had been accepted. "Thanks... and thanks for understanding too. Hug?" she asked, shyly holding her arms out. Vayne smiled again, embracing Quinn. Her hot breath tickled Vayne's neck. "Don't expect this often," whispered Vayne, "I'm a bit sensitive to human contact." Quinn smiled. "Well then I'd better savor this, hadn't I?" she whispered in return. They stayed like that for a while, and would have stayed longer, except that the porridge had started to burn. Quinn leaped away from her, quickly turning off the flames and stirring the porridge vigorously. Vayne shook her head and smiled good-naturedly; it seemed her new partner had a very short attention span. Vayne walked over to the cupboard and opened it, pulling out two bowls and a pair of spoons. Humming a tune, she walked into the dining room and placed them neatly on the wooden table.

Quinn hurried in a second later, carrying the pot of porridge as it steamed. "Hot, hot, hot!" she yelped, quickly dropping it on the table. She shook her fingers, blowing on them to cool them off. After she had succeeded in that, she went back into the kitchen, bringing with her butter and honey a moment later. She set them down on either side of the porridge, which still steamed, although a little less violently now. Taking the ladle from the pot, Quinn gave a generous serving to Vayne, whose stomach growled hungrily at the sight. Vayne used her spoon to take some butter, using her finger to push it off the spoon. It fell into her bowl, melting sulkily in the hot porridge. _'Sorry butter_ ,' she thought, ' _I'm hungry today, and I can't have porridge without you._ ' The butter didn't reply. Sighing a little, Vayne removed the lid from the honey jar, trying unsuccessfully to keep her fingers from becoming sticky. Scooping up a spoon of honey, she held it over her porridge, where it fell down in periodic globs to join the butter. She stirred her porridge, mixing in the butter and the honey. Vayne scooped up a spoonful of porridge and held it in her mouth, closing her eyes as she savored the taste. Quinn smirked as she saw this, stirring her own porridge. "Good?" she asked, not really expecting a no. "Mmmm," nodded Vayne appreciatively, not opening her eyes. After she swallowed her first mouthful, she couldn't hold back any longer, vacuuming up the porridge hungrily. Quinn watched her in amusement. Watching Vayne eat was better than watching her sleep; although it was a close call. Once Vayne had finished, she leaned back in her chair, content with her breakfast. Minutes later, Quinn finished, licking the spoon clean. It clattered against her bowl as she dropped it. Both sat there, eyes closed, as they relaxed in the warm sunlight, which was interrupted by a "SQUAAAAWK!".

They opened their eyes to see Valor perched on the edge of the now cool pot of porridge. Quinn stood up to ruffle Valor's feathers. "Hey, buddy," she said cheerfully, "Up late today? Valor shook his head quickly, ridding himself of her hand, and replied with an indignant, "SQUAAAAWK!" Quinn smiled, shaking her head. "I guess it isn't _too_ late, is it? Now eat up, you. We have a big few days ahead of us." Valor squawked again, then buried his head in the porridge bowl. Vayne watched all this in amusement. ' _I need to get Quinn to teach me to speak bird_ ,' she thought, twirling her spoon in her fingers. Finally, she stood up. Stretching her neck, she asked, "Ready to go?" Quinn nodded. "Lets go." She grabbed her bowl, and Vayne's, and carried them to the kitchen, where she set them down in the sink. Walking back into the dining room, she saw Vayne had already put on her own backpack, which contained her things, and was holding out Quinn's. Valor was still eating porridge. Smiling, Quinn took the backpack from her, issuing her a thanks. They stepped outside, breathing in the crisp morning air, feeling a cool breeze on their faces. Quinn turned to Vayne. "Another hug?" she asked, stepping towards Vayne with her arms outstretched. "No thanks," said Vayne sarcastically. Quinn put on her pleading face, sticking out her lower lip. "Aw, come on Vayne. You know you enjoyed the last one..." she said, smirking. Vayne grumbled. "Fine..." she said reluctantly, holding out her arms to Quinn. They hugged again. It was nice, bathed in the morning sun. Quinn buried her face in Vayne's collar. "Can I get a kiss too?" asked Quinn cheekily, her voice muffled by Vayne's shoulder. Vayne shoved her away playfully. "Don't push it," she warned. "Now let's go." Valor squawked, flying out of the house to join them, and with that, they set off east, towards the rising sun.

 **A/N: yeah hi again. i know i already told you guys she was lesbian last chapter, but it just kinda wrote itself this time. i know that its been boring these first few chapters, but you've gotta have some boredom to balance out the good stuff. Well not really i guess. I just want this story to be good, and i want you guys to enjoy it. i also just realized that this is kinda turning into a vayneXquinn. DON'T FRET MY CHILDREN (it feels weird saying that since i'm technically a child too), it will definitely** **not** **become one. They will remain close friends though throughout this story. Also, the next five or so chapters will be talon. Yay. now you also get boring chapters from talons view as well. Idk, we'll see. Now for the illuminati reference i promised you last chapter. Brace yourselves, it is REALLY bad. It is...*drumroll*...THE EMERGENCY NUMBER! Bcos 107. Turn it sideways, shrink the 0, and connect the 1 and 7, and you got illuminati! Yeah, I warned you it sucked.**

 **RazorC: crossbow squads are awesome. I didn't know any other way to respond. Sorry.**

 **Thanks guys!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Shadows**

 _He was back in his hideout, the words of his newly-appointed boss, General Du Couteau, echoing around his head. The scene replayed as the words were spoken. "I want you to go to the Vayne family. Steal the crystals they wear around their necks. Bring them back to me." Talon nodded, turned to leave, walking to the door. He was about to walk out, but was halted once again by the deep, confident tones of the General. "Oh, and Talon?" said the General casually, "No survivors." Talon nodded, walking out the door. Now, he stood in his hideout, eyes closed, waiting for the right time. A few minutes later, the room was empty, and where Talon's blade usually lay, there was nothing._

* * *

 _He sprinted over the rooftops, running and jumping when it was necessary. He scanned the streets below him, watching all the insignificant people get on with their meaningless lives, running around like ants. Picking up his speed, he leaped across the gaps, graceful like a gazelle. It was a long way from Noxus to Demacia, and Talon had a long way to go yet._

* * *

 _He had arrived, the darkness of night falling upon his face. Dark clouds hung above him, covering the moon. Looking up at the mansion, he had to admit to himself it was pretty impressive. Almost as impressive as the house of Du Couteau, actually. Shaking his head, he entered the gate and stealthily crept around to the side of the house, where three stories up, he spotted an open window. He was tempted to rush in, but he forced himself to wait. Sure enough, a minute later, a lone soldier sauntered around the corner, sword hung low by his side. It was easy to see, to Talon's eyes at least, that he was tired, and his guard was low. Talon smiled cruelly. His laziness would be his death. Silently, Talon crept closer again, until he was walking behind the guard. Lightly, he tapped the guards shoulder. The guard whipped around in alarm, eyes suddenly wide open. His sword started to rise, and he opened his mouth to shout. Too late. Talon shoved his blade down the man's throat, feeling as his blood bubbled up and dribbled out of his mouth. The crimson drops fell onto the grass, as a moment later, something heavier followed. Talon left the man laying where he was, positioning himself underneath the open window. Talon started to climb. The rough bricks provided many handholds and footholds, and soon enough, Talon found himself gripping the window ledge. Gritting his teeth, he pulled himself up, his feet kicking for purchase. He tumbled inside, rolling and ending up on his feet. This was too easy. He looked around, his eyes adjusting to the dark room, finding himself in the bedroom of Mr and Mrs Vayne themselves. Perfect. He crept closer, until his shadow bathed the two in darkness. It started to rain. Thunder roared, and lightning lit up the heavens with a white flash. Talon walked closer, the rain masking his footsteps. He stumbled as he tripped over something in the darkness, cursing. Then he froze, waiting to see if anyone had stirred. Slowly, he crept again towards the sleeping forms of the Vaynes. He was about to reach them, when he felt something brush against his leg. He jumped, adrenaline making him twitchy, and fell backwards, landing on his backside. Talon shook his head in disgust. Tonight was not his best of nights. Getting up silently, he looked around for the mysterious leg-brusher. Glimmering in the darkness, two luminous green eyes watched him reproachfully, and the creature made itself known with a soft meow. Talon mentally sighed in relief. Just a cat. He walked towards the bed, making sure he didn't trip over anything this time. To his relief, he reached it without any further troubles. Silently, he watched the sleeping forms. He raised his blade, drawing it across the man's neck, slitting his throat. He died instantly, one last expression of peace remaining on his face. He stepped forwards, carefully removing the pendant he found hanging around the man's neck. He moved around to the other side of the bed, and was about to do the same to the woman, when a particularly loud burst of thunder roared outside. Talon watched as her eyes opened. Blearily, she stared up at him, frowning. He raised his blade, watched as her eyes opened in sudden terror, and stabbed her. He stepped back as she let out a gargled scream. When she was dead, he stepped forwards again and bent over to look for her pendant. Squinting, he looked closely at her neck, now drenched in liquid red, searching for the pendant. A sudden glint in the corner of his eye made him turn. Laying on the desk, crystal glowing dimly in the cold moonlight, was the pendant. Hissing in success, he grabbed the necklace and once more stepped towards the window, dropping the stolen loot into a pouch. He crouched on the windowsill, the cold rain cooling his face. He was about to jump, when behind him, he heard muffled footsteps. Curiously, he turned as the door to the bedroom creaked open. It remained open, hiding the person behind from his view. He heard soft breathing, and then a sigh. Talon almost thought the person had left, but then somebody entered stealthily. Their feet didn't make a sound on the floorboards. He watched as they froze, letting out a stifled scream. They then rushed to the man's side, shaking him. The person rushed to the other side, trying to wake the woman up, but to no avail. The person- a girl, it was a girl- turned to run. As she did, she caught his eye. Talon tried to jump, but his feet seemed to be stuck. He stared into her eyes. They were a crimson colour, the same colour as the blood that now adorned his hands. Talon tried to look away, but his eyes seemed to be riveted to hers. As he stared, he felt himself being dragged in, and then he was falling... falling... falling..._

* * *

 _Talon was drowning, blinded by the water he floundered in. He tried to claw his way out, but he felt himself sinking down. With a superhuman effort, he dragged himself out of the water. He gasped as his head broke the surface, coughing and spluttering for air. Blindly, he reached out, feeling his hand hit something solid. Relieved, he hauled himself up, tasting the water in his mouth. Strange... it tasted almost... metallic. Talon opened his eyes and screamed. He wasn't clinging to a piece of driftwood- it was a corpse. As he looked around, he noticed there were hundreds, maybe thousands of them, drifting around him. He recognized them all- how could he forget them, when they had all been victims of his blade, all the people he had killed. There was no water. He had been swimming in blood. As this realization hit him, the corpses started to chant his name, their dry, rasping voices scraping against his ears. "Talon...Talon...Talon...TALON...TALON...TALON...TAAAAAAALOOOOOOOOON!"_

* * *

Talon woke up in a cold sweat to find himself being roughly shaken. Dimly, he realized somebody was calling his name. "Talon! Talon! TALON!" Talon recognized the voice. "Jayce?" he asked wearily, "What are you doing here?" His neighbor stopped shaking him, allowing him a moment to stretch. "Dude, you had a serious nightmare," Jayce said, shaking his head as he surveyed Talon. Talon yawned. "It's all right, Jayce. I have them every night." Jayce shook his head. "No man, this was different. You were literally screaming in your sleep!" Now that he had mentioned it, his throat did feel a little hoarse. Talon frowned, his dark eyebrows knitting together. "Thanks Jayce." Jayce nodded in return, and turned to go. As he was about to leave, he turned. "You should eat something dude," Jayce said, "It's almost lunchtime." Talon nodded. Jayce smiled, and with a swish of his coat, was gone. Talon lay in his bed a little longer, staring at the ceiling, then with a sigh, got up. He stretched his neck, rolled his shoulders, and made his way to the bathroom. He pushed open the door, stepping inside, and made his way to the shower cubicle. He turned on the shower, not bothering to strip off his boxers, and stepped underneath the water. He gasped a little as the cold water hit him, trickling down his spine. He didn't bother with warmth. Warmth was for the weak. Warmth was a luxury he didn't want, didn't need. Talon hadn't felt warmth for a long time. Sighing, he closed his eyes, standing under the water as it beat a rhythm into his skin. He remained like that, still and silent like a statue as the water trickled down his body. A face swam in front of his vision, the face of the girl. Her eyes, as red as blood, were accusing as they stared at him. Questions flew through his head. Who was she? What was her name? Where was she now? Gritting his teeth, Talon shook his head, dispelling them from his head. He couldn't afford to think like this. He was an assassin, the Blade's Shadow. The only feeling he needed was the feel of his blade. Opening his eyes, he turned off the water. He walked over to the door, grabbing a random towel from the towel rack on the way out. He padded back to the bed, laying the towel there, and stripped off his boxers. Then, he grabbed the towel, thoroughly scrubbing himself with it, until he was dry. After that, he pulled on a waiting pair of boxers, then his usual clothes, purple themed like always, the armored leggings sewn on. Finally, he pulled on his signature bladed cloak, pulling the hood low to cover his eyes. He walked over to the mirror, admiring his reflection, straightening his cloak as he did every morning. Talon sighed. He missed Noxus, and the chaos that came with it. This place was too routine, too orderly for someone like him. He needed a break from all this. But he strengthened his resolve. He had come here for answers; he would not leave without any. Shaking his head, he snatched his blade up, fitting it onto his arm, and went to see an old friend.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi everyone. To those of you who follow my story (do they exist?), sorry I took so long to update. I've been busy with school and such, and on top of that, I didn't exactly know how to start this side of the story. I tried it a few times, trashed it a few times, eventually settled on this one. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you didn't, i'm sorry about that. It's at that boring part at the start of the story, that you don't want to read, but you have to because there's a tiny important part hiding somewhere. Please leave a review, it helps me out a lot (it doesnt, but leave one anyway).**

 **Thanks guys!**

 **P.S tell me if you think that ending is overused by me and if you want me to say something else, like 'thanks for reading, bye!' or 'me signing off, cya!' or even 'SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP!'. bye for now :|**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Meditation**

Talon walked quickly, eyes cast downwards and hood pulled low. His cloak swished close to the ground, barely hanging above it. He could hear their whispers; feel their eyes watching him. He sighed to himself. Ever since he had joined the Institute of War, looking for answers, it had been like this. Nothing had changed; although he was quite used to it by now. Talon looked up to get his bearings, catching some people unawares as they quickly looked away. He smiled bitterly. Although they tried to hide it, he already could tell they talked about him. Ceaseless whispers, always surrounding him.

 _'There, that's him, the one I told you about. The assassin from Noxus.'_  
 _'Really? He looks... smaller than I expected.'_  
 _'I know, right? Funny.'_

And that was always their downfall. When they heard 'Talon' or 'The Blade's Shadow', they pictured somebody terrifying, six feet tall, covered head to toe in weapons. In reality, he was on the small side, wiry but strong, and you could only see one of his blades. The other eleven were hidden beneath his purple garments. When people saw him they scoffed, unable to believe that this was him, Talon. Up until their lifeblood was draining out of them. Talon didn't complain. Their underestimations were an advantage to him. Surprise sharpened the wielder's blade, after all. And Talon had always welcomed any advantage. He believed in efficient killing, using whatever means to win. He didn't have fair play; fair play didn't exist in the gutters of Noxus. Fair play had never helped him; only his own instinct and wit had kept him alive on the streets. His feet stopped walking, and he looked up. He was there.

In front of him, a dark brown door, made of some rare wood from some obscure corner of the world. Carved into the surface were intricate designs, ancient, forgotten symbols. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he held out a fist, and rapped loudly three times on the door. Then, he waited. A few moments later, Master Yi opened it. He was missing his usual mask, but he still smiled at Talon when he saw him. "Ah, Talon," he said pleasantly, "I trust you are here for our daily meditation session?" Talon nodded silently, stepping past Yi and into the room beyond. It was drastically different from his own, light and cheerful, when in contrast, his was dark and desolate. He appreciated the change. Stepping inside the main room, he sat in his usual place, on the floor. Yi closed the door and came to sit beside him. They began.

"I want you to breathe in, out, in, out. Keep up that rhythm as you delve deep into your mind..." Talon was lost in Yi's voice, the Highlander's reassuring tones energizing him. They sat there, eyes closed, as they meditated, and Talon felt his fears melt away.

* * *

It was hours later when Talon opened his eyes, wincing as the bright light of afternoon filtered through the opaque window. Beside him, Yi awoke too, stretching and getting up straight away. Talon didn't bother trying. The first few times he had, his legs had buckled beneath him, and he had fallen flat on his face. When Talon had inquired why he couldn't stand properly, Yi had simply smiled patiently, and replied, "It takes years to master the ancient art of meditation. I already have. You, on the other hand, have a long way to go." So Talon sat there, watching Yi walk about, straightening this and that, doing other excessively mundane things. Talon watched as the Ionian walked into the kitchen, suddenly realizing his stomach was rumbling like an avalanche. Yi popped his head around the corner. "You are hungry, I take it?"

Talon nodded, his stomach ceasing its grumbling. Yi smiled. "That is good, because I made lunch for two," he said, revealing the two bowls of noodles he had been holding behind the doorframe. Talon smiled gratefully, taking the bowl he was offered. They ate in silence, the only sound being the soft slurping of the noodles. When they had finished, they dropped their chopsticks in the bowls and set them on the floor. The Ionian frowned. "I sense something is troubling you," he started, "You are more silent than usual, and you seem tired. What is wrong, my friend?" Talon stayed silent for a few moments, Yi patiently waiting for an answer, and sighed. "I had a nightmare last night," Talon said, tracing patterns into the rug they sat on. Yi raised an eyebrow. "Of course, is that not the reason you come here to meditate each day?"

Talon shook his head. "This was... different," he said uneasily, "This time it was more... vivid. And when I woke up, Jayce told me I had been screaming in my sleep." Yi nodded, his wisdom echoing in his bright green eyes. "And how long have they been getting more vivid?" he questioned, head tilted to one side. Talon hesitated. "Uh... about a month?" Yi nodded again, his eyes clouding over.  
"Ah. Usually, when nightmares are becoming more vivid each night, that means something is going to happen. Something... lifechanging for you." Talon's head jerked up. Maybe his answers were finally coming to him. Maybe he could finally find his missing General. "When does this usually take place?" he asked, trying in vain not to sound to eager. Yi let some amusement creep into his voice. "It could be anytime from tomorrow to a year. There is no exact time." Talon nodded, and got to his feet. "Thank you," he said, bowing in the traditional Ionian way, "You have helped me more than you think." Master Yi nodded, his gaze travelling around the room. "Anything for a friend," he replied, inclining his head to one side, as a sign of respect.

* * *

Talon strode briskly along the hallway, oblivious to whoever stared. He stopped in front of a plain wooden door, and allowed himself a moment to gather his thoughts. After he had done so, he knocked, pushing open the door, and entered silently. He looked around the room, seeing no sign of the person he was looking for. Sighing, he pushed open the bedroom door, where Katarina Du Couteau still lay in bed, her crimson hair fanning out beneath her. At the sound of the door creaking open, she opened one eye a crack. "Who's th- Oh, it's you, Talon," she said, closing her eye again. Talon walked over to her, standing next to her silently. "Get up."

Katarina turned over, stuffing the pillow over her head. "I don't want to," she said, her voice muffled by the pillow, "It's the weekend and I want to sleep. I've had a long week, you know." Talon sighed, seeing that she was being too difficult to try to reason with. Talon walked over to the closed curtains, whipping them open. Katarina groaned, turning away from the light. Talon then proceeded to walk over to Katarina again. "Get up," he repeated. Katarina turned to look at Talon. "No." Talon sighed. "Very well," he said, "You leave me no choice." He walked over to the bed, where Katarina eyed him warily. He stood there for a moment and let her make her decision. Taking a deep breath, he whipped off her sheets, leaving her exposed to the cold. She squealed and tried to cover up. Thankfully, she was wearing pajamas. Speaking of pajamas... Talon raised an eyebrow at her choice of colour. "What are you wearing?" Katarina blushed scarlet. The colour of the pajamas were hot pink- not the colour to be expected from one of Noxus' greatest assassins. "What?" she muttered defensively, "They're comfy."

"Really?" he asked skeptically, "Why do they have pictures of you on them?" They indeed had pictures of Katarina on them, in various poses. If it was possible, she seemed to blush an ever deeper shade of crimson. "I-because-um-" she stammered, unable to find an answer. "Don't you find that incredibly narcissistic?" Talon interrupted, hiding a smile as he saw Katarina pout. "Shut up!" she said heatedly, "Get out so I can change!" Talon walked to the main room, shutting the door behind him. He went to the tap, poured himself a glass of water, and sat down to think. He thought about his nightmare, sipping the water as he pictured the countless dead. What did it mean? All he could think of were Master Yi's words to him.

 _'Usually, when nightmares are becoming more vivid each night, that means something is going to happen. Something... lifechanging for you.'_ Lifechanging... Right now, only one thing would change his life- the recovery of his lost General. Draining the rest of the glass, he stood up suddenly, pushing his chair out, and made his way over to the kitchen. Placing his glass in the sink, he stared at his reflection in one of Katarina's various glass cabinets. A gaunt, pale face, with dark circles underneath its tortured eyes, stared back at him. Talon shuddered. _'That face is enough to give anyone nightmares,'_ he thought, ruefully shaking his head. Talon was broken out of his train of thought by the sound of Katarina calling his name. He walked back in, where he found Katarina sitting in his previous chair, her leather boots propped up on the table. She was wearing a casual outfit, thankfully not pink, and thankfully without pictures of her. She started when she saw the state of him.

"Okay Talon. Why are you here, did you have to wake me up, and _whoa_ , what's up with your face?" she questioned, swinging her legs down with a thump. Talon ignored all the questions, spare the first, and sat opposite her. "I may finally have information about our General's disappearance," he replied, eyes flashing excitedly. Katarina raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Let's hear it." Talon cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well... I haven't exactly got it yet."

"So how do you know it's about General Du Couteau?" she replied, frowning. Talon shifted in his seat. "I don't _exactly_ , but I'm pretty sure that-"

"So you came here, woke me up, only to tell me that you've got information that you haven't got yet, and it's about the missing General Du Couteau, whom it only may be about."

"Well, it just sounds silly when you put it like that."

Katarina sighed. "Talon, this is an obsession, and it's getting way out of hand. You need to forget the General. He's gone, and there's nothing you can do to change that. Look at yourself. You come here, bursting with news about the General, only to tell me you don't have any. How do you even know you'll receive any anyway?"

"He told me it would happen in a few days, because the nightmares were getting more and more vivid, and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down! Who told you? What is going to happen?"

"Yi told me. _'Something lifechanging,'_ he said."

Katarina sighed again, this time speaking with a definite edge in her voice. "Talon, you can't just go charging out there, looking for a lost general, based on the whims of a silly Ionian!" she fumed.  
"A silly Ionian who can beat you in armed combat," Talon said pointedly. Katarina mentally facepalmed herself. "That's not the point!" she said. Talon got up, the atmosphere around him seeming to turn cold. "This is weakness. The General is not gone. I will find him. And when he returns, he will hear of your treachery," he said, his brown eyes hardening. Talon got up and walked out the apartment, shutting the door. Behind him, Katarina groaned as she watched him disappear.

 **A/N: DONT WORRY IM NOT DEAD (yet)! Sorry i haven't updated for a while, i've been away, and i didn't bring my laptop (What a pity). I decided that from now on, i'll probably update less frequently. Well, less frequently than i'm meant to, which is basically what i'm doing now. Skipping almost a week before updates. On the upside, this chapter was really long. Only the best for you guys (yay)! Wait, is that five sarcastic bracketed sidenotes in one authors note? Is that a new record? Onto the responses!**

 **Guest: Yo dude! That is some nice motivation there. Glad to know somebody cares enough to review. (That's your cue to start reviewing with all your hearts!) Thanks!**

 **Shetumbledtomyheart: Even before i read your review, i could tell that you really liked vayne. It had nothing whatsoever to do with reading your name. I simply guessed. Thanks for that review, I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.**

 **Thank you all for the reviews, and remember, every one counts! Well, most of them.**

 **Gandalf the wizard! (i still havent got a response to that last P.S, please help me out with that!?)**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Truth**

Talon stormed down the corridor, ignoring the curious glances that people kept sending him. Angrily, he recalled what Katarina had said to him only minutes ago. _'Talon, this is an obsession, and it's getting way out of hand. You need to forget the General. He's gone, and there's nothing you can do to change that.'_ Talon growled under his hood. It wasn't an obsession; it was loyalty. Loyalty which Katarina lacked. The General was not gone. Talon wouldn't- no, couldn't- believe that. General Du Couteau had been like a father to him; the father he had never had. Lost in his thoughts, Talon was dead to his surroundings. He bumped into a small yordle, not a champion, who then fell over. The yordle opened its mouth to protest; but upon seeing the thunderous expression on Talon's face, chose to scamper away in fright. Talon didn't notice, continuing to mull over the events of Katarina's room.

Fuming silently, he walked for a few more minutes, until he had reached his destination; the training area, where every champion trained to become even better. At least, most of them. Gragas, for one, never trained, instead choosing to sleep drunkenly in his bar all day, until his nightly customers arrived. Excluding Gragas, and a few others, most champions chose to train during the week, until they were needed for an important event. Currently, however, it was the champions' break, as well as the weekend, so nobody should have been training there. Talon pushed open the heavy metal door, grunting slightly with the effort, and walked in. All the lifting stations were empty, the sparring room silent, and everywhere else was deserted. He looked around, savoring the solitary silence. He needed something to relieve his stress. Eventually, he decided on punching bags.

Talon started to head towards the room, which was separated by another steel door. He stopped when he heard a noise. A rhythmic thumping, accompanied by grunts, and occasionally, "HIKU!" was coming from behind the door. Curiously, Talon, pushed open the door and walked inside, where he found Lee Sin. The poor punching bag he had been using looked beaten and battered. With a final "HIKU!" Lee Sin kicked the punching bag, sending it crashing against the far wall, completely obliterated. He straightened up, put his hands together, and bowed in the traditional Ionian way. Talon watched all this from his position at the door. As Lee Sin finished his bow, Talon crossed over to a punching bag that was not completely destroyed, ignoring him, and started to train. Over the sound of fists hitting leather, Lee Sin turned to him, tilting his head to one side. After listening for a while, Lee Sin finally spoke.

"I sense you are not well, Talon."

Talon grimaced as he felt his knuckles starting to bruise. Ducking and weaving around an imaginary enemy, Talon administered a final punch to the punching bag. Stepping back, he wiped the sweat from his brow before replying. "I'm fine." Lee Sin smiled wisely. "Denial is often used to convince oneself they are something they are not. So tell me, what is wrong?" Talon smiled ruefully to himself. Lee Sin was indeed wise beyond his years.

"Alright, you got me," sighed Talon. "I went to see Yi this morning, about my nightmares again. But when I told him my nightmares were getting more and more vivid, he said that it was a sign that-"  
"Something lifechanging is going to happen," Lee Sin finished. Talon nodded, unsurprised, and continued. "Right. So I thought that it meant I would finally get what I came here for. So afterwards, I went to see Katarina about it. And-"

"She didn't believe you." Talon nodded again. "Talon, what exactly is the reason you came here? To the League, I mean." Talon stopped, unwilling to tell Lee Sin about the General, but he knew he couldn't hide it from him. So Talon told him. He told him about his life on the streets; how General Du Couteau had taken him under his wing; how the General had mysteriously disappeared one day. All through the telling, Lee Sin just listened in silence. When he finally had stopped, Lee Sin spoke again. "And you came here to get information about your lost General."

Instinctively, Talon replied. "He's not lost." Lee Sin suddenly nodded in understanding. "But Talon, what if he is lost?" Talon started shaking his head, but Lee Sin pushed on. "Talon," he continued gently, "Often when somebody close to you... is gone, you start to grieve. You try to cope by reassuring yourself they aren't, and trying to find them again." Talon reactively took a step back, still shaking his head. "No... no..." he muttered. But Lee Sin wouldn't stop. "Talon... Katarina is right. It's time to move on, and deep down, you know that." Lee Sin put a hand on Talon's shoulder. "Do you understand?" Talon closed his eyes, and drew in a shuddering breath, but didn't answer. "Do you understand?" Lee Sin said again, this time a little more forcefully. Talon opened his eyes. They were finally clear, and there was a new shine to them that hadn't been there before. "Yes," Talon said in a stronger voice. "I finally understand. Thank you, Lee Sin." Lee Sin smiled. "You're welcome. But to my friends, it's just Lee."

Talon smiled. "Lee it is then." He suddenly frowned, as if remembering something. "But if I'm not going to receive lifechanging information about the General, than what will I receive?" Lee smiled again. "Only fate can tell now."

* * *

Talon walked down the corridor, which was now almost deserted. Thinking about his conversation with Lee, he felt his stomach rumble, and remembered he had not eaten for a few hours, and what he had eaten had been very small. Wondering what he should eat, he decided to go to the Institute's cafeteria, where most of the champions ate anyway. 'Maybe I'll see Katarina there,' he thought with a shrug. 'Wait- Katarina... I should probably go apologize,' Talon thought guiltily. 'Where would she be now? She wouldn't be in a match- it's the break. She can't still be in her room- after all, it's nearing 5 o'clock now, and even Katarina isn't that lazy. Which leaves- damn.' Talon sighed, turned around, and started to trudge towards his least favourite snake's room.

* * *

Talon raised his hand to the engraved knocker, hesitating a little, and knocked on the door. The sound reverberated through the room beyond, giving it an empty sound, although Talon knew better. Talon heard a rasping sound, and a moment later, Cassiopeia opened the door. When she saw him, she frowned. "What do you want?" she asked sharply, her dislike for him written clearly on her face. Talon tried to peer past her, but she moved to block him. "Is Katarina here?" he asked hopefully. "No," she replied bluntly, and tried to close the door. Talon jammed his foot in the gap. He tried to prise open the door, but Cassiopeia threw her full weight against it, and Talon was forced to stand there with his foot stuck in the door, looking like an idiot. However, a few moments later he heard a scuffle from behind the door, and it was opened. Katarina stood there, glaring at him with red-rimmed eyes. Talon started to speak. "Kat, I know that I spoke harshly earlier, but I-"

"You've got a lot of nerve coming here," she interrupted, jabbing a finger into his chest. "After speaking to me like that."

"Kat, I'm sor-"

"You promised," she said, going on as if she hadn't heard him, "You said, years ago. 'We're family, and I will always protect you.'" She was crying now, crystalline tears rolling down her cheeks like miniature diamonds. "Does that exclude protecting me from yourself? Does it? Because that's what I think right now."

"Kat, I came here to apologize, and that is what I"m going to do." Talon took a deep breath. "So, I'm sorry. You were right, and I had no right to speak to you like that." Katarina stared at him as her tears continued to silently leak out of her eyes. Eventually, a shaky smile crossed her face. "I could never stay mad at you, big brother." Katarina then surprised Talon as she threw herself forward to give him a hug. After a moment, he put his arms around her too. They stayed like that for a few seconds, until they were interrupted by a slow clap. Talon looked over to see Cassiopeia, standing in the doorway, clapping sarcastically. "So touching," she said, as she wiped away a mock tear. Katarina smirked mischievously. "Awww, does somebody need a hug?" she asked, before grabbing her and pulling her into the hug. Cassiopeia shrieked, trying to escape, but to no avail. She remained trapped in the hug for a few more minutes, until it was broken. She slithered away, her nose turned up and her arms folded, to the safety of her room, where she slammed the door behind her. Talon and Katarina just watched as she did so. Talon eventually grinned. "I had forgotten how fun it is to annoy her."

"So did I, brother. So did I."

* * *

 **A/N: hi, sorry it's so overdue (i say that every time). I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, etc etc. I know they aren't real siblings, just adoptive so you dont have to comment on that. There, i just saved you ages of review writing. Speaking of reviews, wow! when I asked for reviews, i didnt expect so many (Typical author speak. And actually, i did expect them because i** **am** **the greatest :3)! Review bombardment! Thanks for all those. Please write more so i can keep commenting to you how absolutely** **great** **i am. I always have a ton of stuff to say and then i forget it all. its so annoying. OH YEAH, let me know PLZ what you want to see in the next chapter, it will be another filler (It has to work with the storyline and pls dont make it a match while the champs are all on break! Think about it for me). ONTO THE RESPONSES!**

 **Shetumbledtomyheart** : **Thanks. Simple, yet meaningful review.**

 **ThatsWhatSheZed: I'm glad you're glad! Although, the confrontation will** **not** **be happening for a while, so kick back, relax, and enjoy in the meantime! I also agree Ionian champs are overpowered. Like Irelia. Should've nerfed Irelia. (Love that username tho)**

 **Defiantly Not Me: I want to know what happens next too. I dont write this story, the story kinda writes itself. And sorry to burst your bubble, but I live in Australia. Needless to say, I will still try to make America great again.**

 **RazorC: razorc is back from chapter 5! But I dont know about the quality part. I kinda feel like they are all the same. Of equal effort.**

 **Navarog: thanks, of course it's legit! Otherwise my account would probably be banned. And I will keep going, to the very end! (I think)**

 **Edgemans: glad you enjoyed the chapter! And remember, everyone needs guidance. Even the guides themselves!**

 **THAAAAANK YOU ALL! keep up the reviews (Please.)**

 **How to train your dragon 3! (Guys, seriously. The first person to give me an ending to use here, i swear, i will use it for the rest of the whole story. Just gimme something. Anything.)**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Rift**

 _That night, Talon dreamt of blood._

 _Blood, everywhere. Wherever he looked, crimson glistening in the dim moonlight. Yi. Katarina. Lee. Everyone he knew. All dead. Talon ran and ran, trying to escape. A cluster of trees rose up before him, dark and forbidding. He dashed into the thicket, running, running, never stopping. The forest whispered around him, telling of ancient secrets, but he didn't listen, didn't falter. Everything was red. Talon tripped, sprawling onto the hard, cold ground. The trees seemed to laugh at him, their leaves rustling against one another._

 _Grunting slightly, Talon stood. He was in a clearing, bathed in pale white moonlight. In the middle of the clearing stood a tall rock, almost the height of the trees surrounding it. A dark shape was rested against the side of it. Talon warily walked closer, his footsteps making no sound on the soft grass. The trees fell into an eerie silence as he approached the rock. As he came closer, the shape took on a definite appearance. A head, crowned by dark matted hair, atop a raggedly clothed torso, which was covered in blood from the jagged wound gaping from its neck._

 _Talon stood in front of the slumped and broken form of Kavyn, his emotions tumbling around like a whirlwind. 'What is it i'm feeling?' he thought numbly. 'Is it anger? Sadness? Regret?' As he stood there, still in the moonlight, he heard a small sigh escape from the lips of Kavyn's battered form. He was still alive. All of Talon's emotions evaporated as he dropped to one knee beside Kavyn, ignoring the blood rapidly soaking into it._

 _"T-Talon..." whispered Kavyn, his voice rasping like dry leaves. Talon gripped his shoulder, shaking it, as he urgently called to the dying boy. "Kavyn! Who did this to you?" Kavyn coughed, blood spraying out of his mouth, and smiled. It was a ghastly smile, a gruesome shadow of a real one. "Do you forget so easily, Talon? You did..." Kavyn's eyes rolled upwards, into his head, and he slumped forwards._

 _"No..." Talon whispered, clenching his fists. Kavyn's voice seemed to echo around him as he knelt there. 'How will you avenge me... when you were the one who killed me..?' Mocking laughter echoed around the clearing as his voice faded away..._

* * *

Talon's eyes flew open. Gradually, he became aware that he was lying in a cold sweat. Sighing, he swung his legs out of bed and dizzily wobbled to the bathroom. He turned on the shower, using only cold water, and undressed. Once he had done so, he stepped in, flinching at the contact. The water flowed across his skin, shocking him awake, and temporarily washing away his fears. He stood there for a few minutes, eyes closed, letting the water trickle down his body. Eventually, he sighed, and opened his eyes again, turning off the tap. The water gurgled as it escaped down the drain, leaving Talon shivering in the chilled morning air. Quickly, he grabbed a towel, wiping himself down until he was completely dry. He crossed over to the foot of his bed, where his signature clothes lay waiting. He pulled on the undergarments, then his bladed cloak. When he was no longer cold, he padded barefoot to the kitchen.

Talon walked in, intent on making some breakfast. He opened the pantry and looked for something to eat. He reached up to get some cereal, but a pair of scarlet eyes flashed in his vision, sending a sharp pain through his head like a dagger. Grunting, Talon put out a hand to steady himself, until the pain had faded. _'Ow. What was that all about?'_ he wondered. Shaking his head, Talon instead reached for some tea leaves. Carrying them back into the kitchen, he dumped them in a kettle, which he filled up with water. He then proceeded to light the stove, placing the kettle on top of the flame to boil. As he leaned against the benchtop, he mulled over the events of his dream.

 _'So many dead... at least not people I've killed this time. So much blood... and Kavyn...'_ Talon gripped the edge of the bench as memories threatened to consume him. With sheer willpower, Talon tried to hold them back, but to no avail. The memories, so long locked away, flooded him like a tidal wave.

 _'A crowded marketplace... so hungry... fruits, stacked precariously... dropping Kumungu berries into his bag... a hand, gripping his wrist... wrenching it away... running... shouts of 'Stop, thief!'... a dark alley... tripping... falling... crashing to the ground... crawling to a rotten plank... pulling it aside... scurrying into the secret passage... crawling... crawling... crawling... dropping... a boy, about his own age, leaning on the wall opposite... heated words... two daggers... grabbing them... stabbing the boy... the body falling, like a ragdoll... tears for his friend... Kavyn.'_

Talon became aware of his surroundings when a tear rolled down his face. He let it fall. Wiping his eyes, he stood, noticing the kettle boiling. Soundlessly, he turned off the stove and poured himself a mug of Ionian tea. Closing his eyes, he breathed in the warm scent. As he took a sip, the dull pain hammering his head gradually faded, until he was left feeling refreshed. Finishing the mug, he placed it in the sink. He was crossing back into the main room, when there came a knock on the door. Glad of an excuse to do something, he jogged over and opened the door. There, fidgeting nervously, stood a summoner. He jumped as the door opened, his purple robes fluttering alarmingly. Talon raised an eyebrow.

"What?" he demanded. The summoner stared for a while more, until the words registered. "What? Oh! Uh, you are needed at the summoning platforms. There's a friendly match between Noxus and Ionia, and you were chosen to be summoned." Talon nodded. "Ok." The summoner attempted to smile, and failing that, turned and scampered away. Talon snorted as he shut the door. Summoners. What a bunch of eccentrics. Well, at least most of them. Talon walked back in, grabbing his blades, and left the room.

* * *

About half an hour later, Talon arrived at the summoning platforms. He scanned the room, eyes narrowed. _Summoners. Champions. More summoners. More- Ah._ Talon made his way over to the familiar face of his main summoner, Selgar, who was overlooking Summoner's Rift. Selgar was one of the more esteemed summoners in the League, and was well known for his sense of humour. Talon arrived next to him, clapping a hand onto his shoulder. "Sel!" Selgar turned around, beaming as he saw Talon. He was in his mid-fifties, and his face was a map of smile crinkles. "Talon! What took you so long?"

Talon pressed his lips together. "Your messenger didn't tell me which Rift we were on." Selgar laughed, waving off the comment. "Don't mind him, he's just one of the new ones. And, if you ask me, I think he's a little in awe of you." Talon raised an eyebrow, keeping his face deadpan. "Well, I am one of the more awesome champions, aren't I?" Selgar laughed again good-naturedly. "I think I set myself up on that one." His face turned serious. "We've all been waiting for you, pal. Now that you're here, the match can begin." Talon nodded, and above his head, a monotone female voice sounded.

"Will all champions participating in the Noxus versus Ionia match please head to the summoning platforms." All the champions milling aimlessly around the room suddenly looked up, hearing the message, and started to filter into an adjacent room. Talon started to follow, keeping at the back so that he could observe his allies and enemies. His team seemed to consist of Sion, Morgana, Urgot, Swain, and himself. The enemy team had Karma, Yasuo, Udyr, Varus, and Lee Sin. Talon grimaced. He sincerely hoped he would not be fighting Lee.

Once through the first doorway, the corridor split into two. He followed to the right, where the Noxians were headed. After walking for another ten (or so) seconds, they came to a different door. There was a sign on the door, which read: CHAMPIONS ONLY. Swain, who was at the head of the group, shrugged, and pushed open the door. Inside, there were five stone platforms, which had glowing blue runes etched into them. Each of them stepped onto a platform, and waited.

About a minute later, they all started to glow, and felt the telltale tingling of summoning magic. Talon closed his eyes, and waited to be transported. A few seconds later, he was falling. He frowned, trying to rid himself of the queasiness that came with all summoning. After trying for almost a minute, he gave up, and submitted himself to the rest of the uncomfortable journey.

* * *

"Welcome to Summoner's Rift!"

Talon opened his eyes to find himself in the 'purple' spawning pool. His fellow Noxians opened theirs also, some wincing at the bright sunlight. They went to the shop and bought their items, then split into their separate lanes without a word. Talon shook his head, then walked over to the shop, purchasing a long sword and three health potions. Talon started walking up to top lane, when Selgar's voice sounded in his head. _'Heh, you bought the right items. What's that, like fifty-three times in a row now?'_

Talon rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, before responding. _'How could I forget? You buy the same items every time.'_ Selgar's laughter rang around his head. _'True, true.'_ Talon arrived at the final tower, which stood guard like a lonely sentinel. He walked past it, and checked the brush, in case his opponent decided to try and ambush him. Satisfied that nobody was there, he settled himself in the middle of the lane, where he could see everything. The announcer's voice rang out from an unseen place. "Thirty seconds until minions spawn."

 _'So how have you been holding up lately?'_ asked Selgar suddenly. Talon pondered the question. _'Good, I guess.'_ Selgar sighed. _'Talon, I can tell you're lying. I'm in your head, remember?'_ Talon nodded. _'Yep. I remembered. How could I forget with you running your commentary every few seconds?'_ Talon sighed, looking at the reflection in his blade. _'The truth is, not well. My nightmares have been getting worse and worse. I hardly get any fulfilling sleep anymore.'_

"Minions have spawned!"

 _'Sounds bad, man.'_ said Selgar sympathetically. _'Hang in there. You'll pull through.'_ Talon smiled gratefully. _'Thanks, Sel. I appreciate the support.'_ Although Talon couldn't see it, he could tell Selgar was smiling. _'No problem. That's what friends are for. Later!'_

Without Selgar's constant stream of irrelevant comments, Talon suddenly felt alone. He was strangely relieved when the doll-like minions marched into lane. That relief lasted about three more seconds, until Lee Sin walked into the lane. Mentally, Talon groaned. This was not going to be pleasant.

The two of them started off pretty peacefully, both just farming minions. Occasionally, one or the other would throw out some harass, and then they would return to their routine of slaying minions. This went on for a few minutes, and still no first blood had been announced. Eventually, this mutual peace ended. Lee Sin threw out a Resonating Strike, which struck Talon. He ignored it, because it had been happening for the past few minutes. But then Lee followed it up with a kick, speeding through the air towards the oblivious Talon. Only when the kick connected did Talon notice the attack. Talon spun, his eyes narrowing, and slashed with his blade. Lee countered with a few punches of his own. Talon sent out a volley of blades, which raked through Lee. Lee then slammed the ground with his fist, sending out a shockwave which made Talon stagger. Talon disappeared, making Lee miss his next Resonating Strike. He reappeared behind Lee with his blade held up to strike. They both stood very still, rigid like a pair of wooden boards.

"What are you waiting for?" asked Lee quietly. "Show me your strength." Talon blinked, and suddenly it wasn't Lee standing in front of him, but Kavyn. His brown hair was as messy as always, and his tunic was as ragged as the day he had died. 'Died by my blade.' thought Talon numbly. He felt his vision blurring, and darkness seeped into the edges of his vision. Kavyn turned, his eyes sparkling with the same sense of adventure as they used to. Talon felt his blade drop to the ground, but he ignored it. He reached out to Kavyn, his lips trying to form a sentence. Kavyn tilted his head to one side. "Are you okay, Talon?" Talon trembled, and fell, into the waiting arms of the blackness.

* * *

 **A/N: finally, another chapter. sorry i got a bit lazy on you guys, i took a break and couldnt stop XD. anyway, im back again, and i apologise if anyone suffered from withdrawl. Anyway, enough of that, i know you guys dont care. I want to talk about the story. First of all, who is Kavyn? Well, if you dont know, read Talon's league judgement. Yes, he is a Riot character. Also, im sorta changing it up again like i did with Vayne's lore. So yeah. Next. The timeline is kind of awkward, because Vayne hasn't arrived at the league yet, but a bunch of others have. Just pretend that Vayne never came looking for information, but she will in the future. As well as that, im pretty sure there actually is no Institute of War. No summoners either. In this fanfiction, there is, because i kinda like that setting. So, what's next? how could i forget? ONTO THE RESPONSES!**

 **ThatsNotWhatIZed: i kinda agree, i want to show his badass side, but you can judge this chapter yourself. Did it need more badassery, less, neither? thanks.**

 **ThatsWhatHeZed: how many different accounts do you have!? Anyway, i dont really want to show him like that. I want to portray him as a loner. That sounds cruel.**

 **Edgemans: Sorry, next chapter is another Talon. Just one more to go. I did the update too! Exactly a month later. thanks**

 **iFireLightning: its ok if you suck at reviewing, as long as you actually review it. Im glad you love the plot, and i am trying to keep up a relatively good amount of work. thanks**

 **RazorC: yeah, ive found myself warming to Talon as well. Im glad i managed to get Lee right! thanks**

 **keep up the reviews please! and THANKS YOU ALL!**

 **bbye**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Coma**

 _Talon opened his eyes and looked around. It was cold, and dark. He shivered. He was standing on a hard, flat surface. Withered trees crouched grotesquely like gargoyles, outcast and ugly. Black flakes were falling from the sky. They stung as they landed on his bare skin. Talon crouched down and dragged two fingers across the dark ground. They came away black. Talon rubbed his fingers together, and found the black substance had melted. Snow. So that was why it was so cold. He stood, wrapping his cloak tightly around him, and started walking roughly in what he hoped was south, towards the Institute of War. After all, the only place he knew that it snowed in Valoran was the Freljord._

 _The snowflakes drifted down peacefully, unnaturally. Unlike the joyous tales of snowball fights and hungry Poros, this place seemed so... lifeless. It was like the aftermath of a dragon attack; withered remains of trees and people, the black flakes of ashes drifting down from the sky. This place felt dead. Talon quickened his pace, hoping to escape the place as soon as possible._

 _Peering through the dark snow, Talon thought he saw a flicker of movement. Talon walked faster, hoping to find out where he was. "Hello?" he called. "Anyone there? Do you know where this is?" Talon kept walking, until he was a few metres behind the strange silhouette. The person, for he could clearly see them now, stood still, a hood drawn over their face. "Hello?" Talon called again, his lips splitting from the cold._

 _A whisper like dry leaves came in reply. "Talon..." The person turned around, and Talon recognized the familiar pale face of Kavyn._

 _"Help me..."_

Talon woke, his heart thumping. He opened his eyes. For a moment, he thought he was back in Noxus, in his dimly-lit hideout. Then he looked around, and found he was surrounded by crackling blue energy. Mesmerized, he lifted one hand and inspected it. The energy ran across his palm like electricity, and Talon wondered how he felt no pain by it. He looked down and found he was levitating. He was surprised to find that he wasn't alarmed by this fact; after all, it wasn't like he had any magic in him. He was trying to figure out how to get down when he heard a familiar voice.

"Welcome back, Talon."

Talon looked in the direction of the voice, where he spotted Lee Sin, leaning back casually in a chair. Talon nodded, then remembering Lee couldn't see him, felt slightly ridiculous. "Where am I?" he asked, attempting to move his limbs. Lee's face turned serious. "You are in the Stabilizing Chamber." Talon stopped struggling. "What?"

Lee took a deep breath. "How much do you remember?" Talon thought back, but his memories seemed a bit... fuzzy. "Well... I remember being summoned to the Ionia versus Noxus match... I remember meeting Selgar... but I don't remember much after." Lee sighed, and began to speak. "We started the match. You and I were top lane, against each other. We were both farming for a while, until I engaged." Talon nodded. "Keep going..."

Lee continued. "We fought for a while, and we both became quite low on health. You teleported behind me. I wanted to test your psychological state a little, so I asked you to 'show me your strength.' Unfortunately... you failed the test. You hesitated, said something I couldn't quite catch, and promptly fell into a coma." The memories flooded back to Talon like water from a broken dam. "Kavyn," Talon murmured. Lee cocked his head to one side. "I'm quite sure that was what you said." Talon nodded. "So how'd I end up here?" he asked, frowning in confusion. Lee cleared his throat. "Ahem. Yes. That. Well, after you fell into a coma, the match was cancelled, and you were sent to the hospital wing. Naturally, I accompanied you there, and when we arrived, I was questioned about any symptoms leading up to your coma." Lee grimaced awkwardly. "Sorry Talon. I had to come clean about your nightmares."

Talon nodded reluctantly. "That's okay, Lee. Continue." Lee went on. "After I told them about your nightmares, they thanked me, and dismissed me. I'm assuming it was then that you were put in here, although it may be impossible to tell."

Talon frowned. "Didn't they let you visit?" Lee shook his head. "Nobody had been allowed in until today." Talon narrowed his eyes. "Strange..." Shaking off his suspicions, Talon voiced his thoughts, which had been building up ever since he had woken. "Lee, do you know any place where there is black snow?" Lee started in surprise. If he had had any eyes, Talon was sure they would be wide open. "Black snow?" repeated Lee. Talon's hopes sunk; maybe Lee didn't know the answer to everything. "Never mind," Talon muttered. Lee shook his head in bewilderment. "You mean you don't know?" Talon's ears pricked up. "Know what?"

Lee shuddered, then pulled his chair closer conspiratorially. "The story of Mount Gargantuan- The Dark Mountain." Although Talon had never heard of the place, a shiver ran down his spine when the name was uttered. He shook his head. Lee began to tell the tale.

 _"Long ago, there was a place called the Blessed Isles. It was quite similar to Ionia; the people followed the traditions and celebrations of their ancestors, and balance was maintained. In the centre of the Blessed Isles, there was a great mountain, on which the palace of the king stood. This mountain was Mount Gargantuan. There was also a mountain in the middle of Valoran, the mountain you know now as Mount Targon. This mountain was a mirror image of the Mount Gargantuan, as the king of the Blessed Isles had decided to use a great spell to duplicate the mountain. It took long, and was hard work, but it was worth it. A mighty mountain stood in the middle of Valoran, the signature of the Blessed Isles."_

 _"One day, a mysterious illness struck the king. He was confined to his bed, and wouldn't eat food nor drink water. This went on for days, and the king seemed to be in constant agony. It was said that his screams could be heard from the bottom of the mountain. After a week of nonstop pain, the screams stopped. All was silent, in the Blessed Isles. The day after the screams had stopped, something new was heard. Chanting. The king was using forbidden magic against the Isles to enslave them to an eternal undeath. It seemed the illness had turned him evil. After another day of chanting and panic, a huge blue glow enveloped the Isles, and the spell took action. It killed all except the king, dooming them to eternal service in the king's name. And so the Blessed Isles became the Shadow Isles, and the Ruined King was given his name."_

 _"The great mountain, once a symbol of peace and loyalty, was corrupted beyond salvation. Its mirror twin, in the middle of Valoran, was also corrupted. The three ancient tribes, Rakkor, Solari, and Lunari, had settled recently upon the mountain, and had no wish to see their new home lost. So together, they called out to Bard, the Caretaker, to come to their aid. Bard sensed their pleas, and travelled to Valoran, where he cast a spell upon the mountain, which dispelled all evil and corruption. So, the mountain was saved, and was named Mount Targon. All was well in Valoran. But the original mountain, Mount Gargantuan, remained in the Shadow Isles, where creatures of evil settled and bred upon it. The once mighty mountain, where the king's palace once stood, was lost forever."_

"And so is the tale of the Dark Mountain," finished Lee, leaning back in his chair. "But why did you want to know about black snow anyway, Talon?"

"I had a dream," Talon replied. "Not a nightmare, a dream. I was in a place with black snow, and I saw my friend Kavyn there. 'Help me' he said. And then I woke up." Lee groaned. "Talon, we went over this. You can't go running off based on your dreams." Talon shook his head animatedly. "It's different this time. I know he's there, and I know he needs help." Lee sighed. "Very well. If that is what your heart is telling you, then go." Talon nodded. Lee got up, stretched, and started to head to the door. As he was about to leave, he turned. "Oh, and Talon? Who is Kavyn?"

"My first victim."

Lee nodded as if it was a perfectly normal response, and walked out. A few seconds later, Talon realized he still didn't know how to get out of this stupid energy thing.

 **"LEE! WAIT! A LITTLE HELP PLEASE?!"**

* * *

After Lee had helped him out of the Stabilizing Chamber, Talon had gone straight to his room to pack. "...thirty-five...thirty-six...thirty-seven..." he counted as he put each blade to one side. "...forty-two!" he announced triumphantly as he placed down the last one. After all, if he was journeying to the Shadow Isles, he was going to need some extra weapons. Carefully, he strapped each one to his body, until he had hidden them all out of sight. Getting up, he stretched, feeling his joints crack satisfyingly. Looking around, he spotted a pen and paper resting on his bed. Scribbling a note, he stuck it to his door, which he then closed, and locked. Turning on his heel, he walked to the end of the corridor, where he turned out of sight.

* * *

 **A/N: great endings for days. Hey all, im back with another chapter. Finally, the end of the Talon chapters. Now for more Vayne. I don't know if it was just me and my high review expectancy, but I felt really underwhelmed by the reviews for that last chapter, which personally, I thought was pretty good (Hey, that's pretty good!). Please, all you readers out there, even the haters, leave reviews, because I love to know what you all think, and what I need to change. Or maybe I just lost all my momentum. Ill try to post another chapter as soon as I can, I was busy studying for all my tests. Thats over now, so hopefully there will be another soon! Review time!**

 **HeSheYouWeAllZed: i really feel like ur a zed main... Thanks for reviewing, you've been with this story for a while now! :)**

 **Navarog: RIP talon indeed... thanks for taking the time to review, i appreciate that, and im glad you like it so far.**

 **Thank you to HeSheYouWeAllZed and Navarog for those reviews! Keep it up guys!**

 **bbye**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Riddles**

The sun was high in the sky as two travellers struggled along the dusty path. One was dressed in the telltale golds and blues of Demacia; the other was clothed in a dark, flowing attire. "Hey Vayne! Lighten up a bit!" called the brightly-dressed woman, clapping the other on the shoulder. A royal blue eagle, which was perched precariously on her shoulder, screeched in annoyance with the sudden movement, and took off.  
Vayne remained in a brooding silence. She was thinking about home. All these years of trying to track down her parents' murderer had steered thoughts of home away from her head. But now, it had been a decade since it had happened, and Vayne was starting to get tired of the whole business. This whole new adventure, with Paddy and Quinn, had made her realise she needed to settle down, find a place to live in peace. Her hideout had been adequate for these few years of solitude, but now she felt differently. The thought of going back to the dark, gloomy cave she called her home made her dread having to return.  
She glanced at Quinn. Vayne couldn't help but stifle a smile as she saw Valor, soaring above Quinn, as he mockingly dangled her crossbow in his talons. Quinn was smiling as she called out in mock annoyance. "Valor! Val, come on, give it back. Valor, seriously- VALOR!" Valor screeched out a taunt in response. "Valor, enough, give it back already." With a reluctant squawk, Valor dropped the crossbow, which Quinn caught with ease.  
Quinn glanced over, letting a quick grin flash across her sharp features. Vayne kept her face neutral, only raising her eyebrows in question. "So Vayne..." said Quinn, choosing her words carefully, "where are we... um... going exactly?"  
Vayne stopped dead in her tracks. "You mean you don't know where we're going?" she asked incredulously. Quinn blinked. "Was I meant to?"  
"Of course you were meant to!" snapped Vayne in annoyance, "You're the guide." Quinn's face contorted into different expressions. Confusion, anger at being blamed, a hint of surprise, but... mostly confusion. Finally, a look of understanding dawned on her face. "Aaaaaah..." murmured Quinn. "Yes. I can see why that would- yeah."  
Vayne huffed impatiently. "So do you know where we're going?" Quinn turned to Vayne. "Where are we trying to go again?" Vayne groaned. "Mount Gargantuan? The huge, giant mountain in the middle of Valoran? Ring any bells?" Quinn stared blankly. "If you know where you're going, then why am I here?"  
Vayne felt like screaming, although she doubted anyone would hear her. "You are a _guide_. You are here to _guide_ me along the quickest route to Mount Gargantuan, since I have absolutely _no idea_ which way it is." Quinn nodded. "Okay. I got it now. And... ah... we're going in the wrong direction."  
Vayne growled.  
"Of course we are."

* * *

The sun was once again high in the sky as two travelers struggled along the dusty path. They had returned to Quinn's house, and since it was already almost dark, they had decided to stay the night.  
"A whole day wasted. 6 days left to find the cure. 6 days until Paddy... _dies_." It was a strange thought, that although she had only really known Paddy for a couple of days, she was going on a quest to save him.  
Quinn smiled. "That's alright! At least we got to stay at my house again. And, speaking of homes, why don't you have one?"  
Vayne looked at her in surprise. "How..?"  
"I can tell," said Quinn simply. "I can see it in your eyes, in the way you hold yourself. You are weary. You want to give up. But your reason, your purpose pulls you onward. And you follow." Vayne shrugged. "I admit I am impressed," she said. "And you're correct in saying I have no home. But, I do have my hideout. And right now, that's all I need." Vayne knew the last sentence wasn't strictly true, but it wouldn't hurt Quinn not knowing. Quinn gave her one last searching look, then shrugged and turned away.  
"You know," Quinn started, "I don't really live at my house." Vayne blinked. "What is that supposed to mean?"  
Quinn sighed. "Most of my time I spend at the League of Legends. Not that I want to. King Jarvan says it is a great honour, but to me it feels like a freak show. Anyways, the only times I actually get to live in my own home is on Champion Breaks. And, luckily for you, I just so happened to be on one when you needed a guide."  
"What do you do in the League of Legends?" Vayne asked curiously, "I've heard about it, but I don't really know what goes on in there."  
"It's a congregation of outcasts," Quinn replied bitterly. "Political debates, wanderers seeking knowledge or power, creatures of the dark and light, anyone who can _fight_." And unfortunately, that also includes me."  
"But what's so bad about the League? Free food, free accommodation. I even heard you get paid for fighting in the League."  
"You do. But money doesn't matter to me. And I can easily find a way to get food or accommodation, wherever I go. But the thing that matters most to me is my freedom. Although the Institute of War is quite a large place, to house all the champions and summoners living there, its nothing when you have the outdoors. And that's where I belong. Outside. Surrounded by nature."  
"Hm. Interesting."  
A loud screech came from behind them, and they turned as Valor swooped in. He landed on Quinn's shoulder, and Vayne saw her frown. What came next was a series of rapid, urgent-sounding squawks, none of which Vayne knew, but sounded bad. As the squawking went on, Quinn started to look more and more worried. Finally, she looked back at Vayne, eyes wide.  
"Dreglers. And they're headed our way."

* * *

Vayne knew about Dreglers. She knew their fascination for riddles and puzzles. She knew they traveled in groups, enough to overpower anyone who fought back, but not too many to need huge amounts of food. She knew they liked to look for unwary victims from afar with their huge, reflective eyes. Once spotted, they simply sprinted straight towards them at speeds rivaling a train. They were strong, fast and smart. There was no escaping. Once marked, you were caught. The only way to escape a Dregler was to answer all their questions correctly.  
She also knew their taste for human flesh.  
"They're nearly here," said Quinn in a hard voice. Beside her, Valor screeched. Even in this time of danger, despite Quinn's futile attempts to get him to leave, he would not budge. He stood tall and proud on her shoulder now. Accepting his fate.  
Vayne watched as the distant figures came closer. One kilometre. Then eight hundred metres. Six hundred. Four hundred. She could almost make out their alien, insect-like faces now. Three hundred. Two hundred. One hundred.  
Zero.  
Vayne held her breath as the Dreglers came to a stop, kicking up a cloud of dust. When the dust settled, they found that they were surrounded by a group of tall, grotesque creatures. They had two pairs of stick-like arms, ending in long, thin fingers, which were topped with sharp, curved claws. Their legs were much thicker, and heavily muscled, for running at great speeds. Their bodies were protected by thick, matted fur, which formed an armor stronger than stone. Their heads were quite small, and their faces were mostly taken up by their compound eyes, which showed dozens of reflections. The only other noticeable feature was their rather small mouths, which were lined with countless rows of razor-sharp teeth. All in all, they were terrifying.  
The one in the middle, which seemed to be the leader, straightened from its hunched position, and walked towards them. "So," it rasped in its strange, high-pitched voice, "What do we have here? Two scrawny humans and a chicken?" A ripple of cruel laughter rang out. "Here are the rules, humans. You play our game, three questions each. You have three chances. No cheating, or you lose. If you win, you go free. If we win..." the Dregler leaned in, and Vayne could smell its hot, rancid breath. "If we win... we get to _eat you_." The Dregler swung away, rubbing its hands together eagerly. "Alright, those are the rules! Any questions? No? Good! Then let's begin!"  
It pointed at Vayne. "You first! Listen closely, human!"  
" _You are stuck in room with two exits. One leads to freedom, but the other leads to death. A guard stands at each exit. One always tells the truth, but the other always lies. You may ask them a single question. How do you escape?_ "  
The Dregler leaned back, and waited for its answer. Vayne pondered the question. _One room... two exits... one truth-teller... one liar... truth-teller... liar... TWO guards..._ She looked up at the Dregler. "You ask, 'If I asked your friend which exit was safe, which would he say?' Then you wait for the answer, and take the opposite exit." Heart pounding, she waited for an answer. "That is... correct," the Dregler said reluctantly.  
'Yes!' Vayne thought jubilantly. But as she looked over at Quinn, she could already tell something was bad. Her face looked pale, and a bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face.  
"Next!" growled the Dregler. "You!" it barked suddenly, pointing to Quinn. She flinched, but stood otherwise unwaveringly.  
" _Two bodies have I,_  
 _Though both joined in one,_  
 _The more I stand still,_  
 _The faster I run._ "  
Quinn bit her lip. Vayne could see she was in trouble, and so could the Dregler. It leered horribly, its thin lips drawn over the rows of teeth. "Don't know? You could always just... give up..." She shrugged helplessly. "Fine. I give up."  
"The answer was an hourglass! Two chances left!" it screeched triumphantly. The other Dreglers hissed their approval. Quinn shrunk under the chorus of jeers, but Valor snapped his beak at the Dreglers. "Next!" said the Dregler, turning back to Vayne.  
" _A man is being put to death. He has been granted the freedom to choose his own death: drowning or burning. If he tells a truth, he is drowned. If he tells a lie, he is burned. However, on the day of the execution, he says a phrase that leaves no other option but to set him free. What did he say?_ "  
Vayne had heard this riddle once before, when she had been travelling in Ionia. She had been asked it by an old hermit, who lived in the mountains. It had puzzled her before, but it wouldn't now.  
"He said, 'I will be burned.' Thus, he couldn't be drowned or burned, so he was set free." The Dregler narrowed its eyes. "Correct," it growled. It looked at Quinn. "Now..."  
" _The thunder comes before the lightning,_  
 _And the lightning comes before the cloud,_  
 _The rain dries all the land it touches,_  
 _Wrapping the earth in a blood red shroud._ "  
Quinn sagged. "Don't know," she mumbled again. "It was a volcano! Two strikes!" the Dregler hollered. "One to go... Next!"  
" _Often held, but never touched,_  
 _I'm always wet, but never rust,_  
 _Often bites, but seldom bit,_  
 _To use me well you must have wit._ "  
"Easy. A tongue." The Dregler was silent for a few seconds.  
"...Correct." Its response was met by a chorus of howls from the other Dreglers. "SHUT UP!" it roared. The protests fell silent. "Good. Now, final question. It's all down to this one. If you win, you go. If we win... well, let's just say we will eat very well today!"  
" _What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?_ "  
Vayne's heart sank into her stomach. Surely Quinn wouldn't know this one. She didn't even know the easier ones. But as Vayne looked at Quinn, her despair wavered. Quinn looked... confident. Could she actually get something right?  
"Eleven metres per second."  
With a mix between astonishment and respect, the Dregler answered.  
"Correct. You were worthy opponents!"  
Suddenly, there was applause, from all around. The Dreglers clapped and cheered as Vayne and Quinn left the circle. One even waved as they walked away. Quinn blinked. "Well that was... strange. I never heard they were such good sports."  
"Probably because nobody has lived to tell the tale. Hey, how did you know that last question? Even I wouldn't have known."

"I hang around birds a lot, if you hadn't noticed."

"Oh. Right."  
"Anyway. How far are we from Mount Gargantuan?"  
Vayne raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. You tell me, you're the guide."  
"Oh yeah. I am."

"So?"  
"So what?"  
"How far are we?"  
"I don't know, its your job to know!"  
"But I don't know!"  
"Well then we'll just have to follow the path and see how long it takes!"  
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!"  
"SQUAAAAWK!"

* * *

 **A/N:** **to all three of my devoted fans, you have my literal permission to hate me (But please don't. I said you _have my permission,_ you don't have to actually thirst for my blood). Everyone else who has no idea what im talking about, this chapter is _very late._ I give many apologises to all the people who have been waiting for all _54 days._ Thats almost 2 months. So, im sorry about that, but now i've broken the cycle, and i present to you this chapter! Wow, its so amazing. Onto the reviews! (because once again, i forgot all i wanted to say).**

 **IAmWhatSheZed: To you, i apologise, because i know you follow this story. So if your reading this, know that im trying to achieve level 7 ad rammus. Thank you.**

 **EpicPotatoClip: Thanks. Unfortunately, the next chapter was apparently nowhere near soon.**

 **YorickOnly: Well hopefully, you havent re-read this _too_ many times now. But if you have, heres some new content! Thaaaaaank you!**

 **Thanks everybody, remember to review! I love reading what you guys all think of this story.**

 **bbye**


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Horror**

The night fell quickly, and the two travellers set up camp in a small clearing, off to the side of the path. They didn't risk a fire, for fear a repetition of earlier's events. Instead, they tossed and turned in their small, cold tent. It was cramped, claustrophobic, and crawling with insects, but at least it provided adequate shelter. This proved to be useful, as a steady rain started up about an hour after they entered the tent. Valor, who had been left outside, was hunched miserably in the small hollow of a tree.  
In the darkness of the tent, Vayne could feel Quinn's eyes on the back of her neck. After a few minutes of trying to fall asleep, she sighed and turned over. "What?" she whispered harshly. "I know you're awake, Quinn." After a few moments of listening to the drumming of the rain, Quinn replied quietly.  
"What are you going to do? After all this, after saving Paddy? Continue with your mission? Find a place to settle down? Where will you go?"  
Vayne closed her eyes. "I... I think I'll continue with my mission. I made a promise, you know. To my parents."  
"What happened to them?"  
"They... died."  
"Murdered?"  
"Yes."  
A long silence followed the sombre reply.  
"Vayne?"  
"Yes?"  
"What did you promise? To your parents, I mean."  
"I said that I would never rest, until I had found their murderer, and avenged them."  
"How long ago was that?"  
"Ten years ago."  
"That's a long time to hold a grudge, Vayne."  
"I promised, Quinn. I always follow through with my promises."  
Another silence. This time, Quinn's reply was so soft, it was barely audible.  
"Vayne."  
"Yes?"  
"Maybe you should think about giving up. Find somewhere peaceful, isolated, away from all... this."  
Vayne considered this. She had never had the thought of giving up, except recently, and even then she hadn't given it much attention. But even as she pondered it, she already knew her answer, and it resonated in her heart.  
"No," she whispered firmly. "I won't- can't give up on them now."  
"Okay," came the quiet, slightly sad reply. "If that's what your heart wishes."  
This time, the silence wasn't broken. The two companions fell asleep, under the rhythmic drumming of the rain, and the twinkling sky of a million stars.

* * *

They woke at the break of dawn. Neither gave any indication of the previous night's depressing conversation, or wanted to. They hastily packed up the tent, gathered their belongings, and set off at a brisk walk, Valor following along behind them. Mount Gargantuan was visible in the distance, its dark peak jutting into the sky like an ugly wound. They walked soundlessly, each finding peace in the serene surroundings.  
After a few hours of walking silently, they stopped to eat. An apple each, and a few pieces of bread with cheese. Nothing Vayne wasn't used to, but she still thought longingly back to the meal she had eaten at Wilfred's inn. Shaking off her fantasies, she ate quickly, then waited impatiently for Quinn to finish. Valor had flown off before, and now he returned with something furry and dead dangling form his talons, a rodent of some kind. He dropped the rodent onto the ground, and landed beside it. With a morbid fascination, she watched as the eagle began to rip into the carcass. In only a few minutes, all that remained were bones. By that time, Quinn had also finished, and was ready to continue. They walked on, and the sun rose ever higher in the sky.  
After several more hours of walking, Quinn cried out. "Look! Up ahead, a village!" She took off, calling over her shoulder, "Race you there!" Vayne shook her head with a smirk, then sprinted after Quinn. She called back, "Last one there is a dead bird!" Valor let out an indignant _squaaaawk_.  
As they neared the village, they slowed. They could already see something was wrong. The buildings looked blackened, crumbling. Not a sign of life came from the village, and it was eerily silent. "Something's not right," muttered Vayne, and took off, not bothering to check if Quinn was following. As she approached the village, the metallic stench of spilled blood made her stop abruptly in her tracks. She heard Quinn catch up to her.  
"Oh no," said Quinn in a raw whisper. Vayne felt a tide of helpless anger build up inside her as she surveyed the destruction. The buildings had been burned to the ground, made into ruins. People lay unmoving on the ground, surrounded by pools of their own blood. Some had been disemboweled, and evidently had tried to hold their entrails in, but they had still perished like everyone else. Vayne stepped into the nearest house, and recoiled in shock and disgust. Blood was spattered on what remained of the walls, painting islands of red in the sea of black. Blackened bodies lay still on the ground, in various positions. Vayne knelt by the closest, wrinkling her nose at the smell of burnt meat. She turned over the corpse. The face had melted into itself, leaving it unrecognizable. Angry red cracks ran up and down the body, and the victim's clothes had melted onto their skin. Vayne grimaced. At least this person had been dead before they were roasted.  
Vayne rose, looking around her. What was left of the walls and shelves were bare. It seemed everything of value had been stolen. A retching sound came from behind her, and she turned to see Quinn, doubled over in the doorway. She hurried over, steering Quinn away from the bodies, into the outside air. "It's okay," she said soothingly. "Breathe." Quinn breathed, straightening slowly. Vayne could see the beginnings of tears glistening in her eyes. "Why- who would do something like this? To another human being?" Grimly, Vayne pointed wordlessly to the side of a building, where the red insignia of a blade, with the letters 'DC,' had been emblazoned carelessly. "The DuCouteau clan would," she replied emotionlessly. "And by the state of the blood, recently too." Quinn shivered. "Imagine, if we hadn't gone the wrong way. Would we be dead too? Or would we have saved them?"  
"Don't dwell on it," Vayne told her firmly. "What's done is done, whether or not-" She was cut off by a quiet sound, almost too quiet to hear. It sounded almost like... a human groan. Quinn's gaze flashed to the origin of the noise. "There's someone still alive!" she breathed softly. "Maybe they're hurt!" Without a moment's hesitation, she took off in the direction of the groan. "Quinn, no!" called Vayne. "Come back, it might not-" Vayne bit back the rest of her words, and ran after Quinn.  
The groan came again, and Quinn stopped, looking around in a frenzy. A split-second later, she dashed into a nearby house. Vayne stopped, and held her breath. For a few seconds there was only silence. Then, suddenly, a cry of pain rang out across the former village. Vayne cursed and sprinted the rest of the distance. Heart in her mouth, she reached the house Quinn had entered. "Quinn! Quinn, are you okay?" Her voice sounded strange; too high-pitched, like the scared child she had once been.  
"I'm okay Vayne! I'm in here!" Quinn's familiar voice sounded from inside the house. Vayne breathed a sigh of relief, and entered. Quinn was standing over a person who couldn't have been much older then either of them; he was probably about Quinn's age, if she had to guess. He was propped up on one elbow, nursing a nosebleed. He glared as Vayne entered, but she could see that he was scared. He had a tattoo on his arm; a tattoo that matched the one on the building. At the sight of it, her rage boiled up again and threatened to explode everywhere, in a shower of crimson, a shower of blood, just like- No. He was just a boy. A boy who had fallen in with the wrong crowd. Vayne closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath. She had to keep the rage in check.  
"What happened here?" asked Vayne. Quinn looked at her, her face showing no emotion, but her eyes furious. Vayne read the words there, the thoughts that were tumbling through Quinn's brain.  
 _He did this. He killed all those people._  
 _He deserves to die._  
Vayne walked over to where Quinn was standing, and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's okay," she said, "He's just a boy."  
"I am not," scoffed the boy defiantly. "I'm in the most dangerous gang in Noxus!" Vayne knelt next to him, took off her glasses, and smiled icily. The boy flinched away instinctively, but glared at her still. "Where do you see a gang? Where do you see Noxus? Sorry to break it to you, kid, but right now all you are is _alone_ ," she spat. The boy struggled valiantly to hold her gaze, but melted under the pressure. He muttered something that Vayne didn't quite catch. She raised an eyebrow. "Sorry? You want to repeat that?" He glared at her again. "I said, my name is Zenith." Vayne nodded, stood back up, and replaced her glasses.  
"Alright, Zenith," she replied, "You're coming with us." Both Quinn and Zenith started. "Why are we bringing him?" asked Quinn dubiously. Vayne replied loudly, so that they both could hear. "We are bringing him because I have some questions about his _dangerous gang_ that I want answered, and we don't have time to linger here." Quinn nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But he's not sleeping in our tent, is he?" Vayne shrugged. "We'll have to see."  
Zenith stood, wobbling on the spot. "Hey," he frowned, "How come I don't get a say in this?" Vayne smiled sweetly. "Because, dear Zenith, your appear to be our prisoner now." Zenith sagged miserably. "Here," said Vayne, tossing him a pair of handcuffs, "Put these on."  
"Do I have to? he whined. Vayne smiled coldly. "Well, I wouldn't want someone from _the most dangerous gang in Noxus_ free to murder me, would I? Yes, you have to put them on." Zenith glowered murderously, but did as he was told.  
Vayne turned, and made her way out of the ruined house. Quinn followed, and after much grunting and cursing, so did Zenith. Vayne turned and addressed Zenith. "Alright, no funny business. No trying to escape, no lying to us. Understand?" she growled, leaning closer to him. He glared again ( _that seemed to be his default expression, thought Quinn with a frown)_ but nodded slowly.  
"Alright!" she spoke cheerfully, spinning around to the direction they were headed. Mount Gargantuan loomed, its dark peak higher than the clouds. Vayne took a deep breath.  
 _'Four days to find Paddy,'_ she reminded herself. _'Four days to find the cure. I can do this.'_  
Vayne straightened, and set off at a brisk pace, the others trailing behind her. She was going to find the cure. She was going to save her friend.

* * *

 **A/N: hey everyone, i'm posting this one like, a week later because _why not,_ i figured. You guys deserve more than what i'm giving you. The reason i'm posting already, the _other_ reason, is because I just read _Darkstalker_ (from the Wings of Fire series, by Tui T. Sutherland) and _hell yes_ was it awesome. It was really moving, because it made you get to know _all_ the characters- and the _ending_ gosh it was _so freaking sad_. It is a really good book, (you should read the series) and I read the whole thing and was like- _That's why i'm doing this. That's what i want mine to be like._ And I know i'm stressing this a lot, but _read the goddamn book._ Just do it. **

**Anyways, now that got I way too carried away... onto the reviews?**

 **EpicPotatoClip: yay, new chapter again! thank god you dont hate me for taking aeons, because my descendants are sloths. Some of my earlier stories (which i deleted, because they were honestly pretty crap) were written on my phone, and to post stuff i had to go onto desktop/tablet mode. Besides, thanks for the reviews. Those are always nice.**

 **acquila100: Well thanks for enjoying this, and taking your time to read it. It may not appear that way, but I really do try my best with this story. Thanks again!**

 **ThatsWhatSheZed: good thing you didnt forget, or i would have lost one of my most dedicated... fans? I feel uncomfortable calling you guys that, like i'm superior to you or something. Anyways, apologising is kinda my thing, if you hadn't noticed that. Sorry. Didnt mean to come off rude. And.. uh... my day(s) was grate. I am also out of ideas by this point. I'm rambling. I should stop. Thanks. Bye.**

 **well thanks everyone for reading/reviewing. i hope you enjoyed this chapter a lot. (remember to leave reviews. you know. really awesome reading them, etc etc.)**

 **bbye**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: The Watcher**

Three exhausted travellers shuffled along the narrow road. In front of them, a huge mountain loomed, casting a shadow over the land in front of it. A royal blue eagle soared behind them, swooping occasionally when it spotted movement.

In the shelter of the woods, a dark shape flitted.

Vayne scanned the trees on either side of them, her red sunglasses revealing nothing. Something wasn't right. Her gut told her so, and her gut was never wrong. After a few minutes, she spied a shadowy figure, stalking just inside the treeline, parallel to where they walked. She stopped suddenly. Quinn did likewise, and Zenith bumped into her, sprawling unceremoniously onto the ground. Valor dived, landing gracefully on Quinn's shoulder. He squawked tauntingly at Zenith, who groaned. "Ow," he grumbled. "Uh, a little help here?"

The others ignored him.

"What is it?" whispered Quinn anxiously. Vayne raised a hand to silence her, and Quinn obeyed. "Well, fine then," muttered Zenith, hauling himself up off the ground. " _Shut up!"_ Vayne hissed at him. Zenith froze, halfway standing up, afraid to move any further. Soon, his legs began trembling, and he fell back down in a heap. Quinn sighed piteously in his direction. Vayne, eyes narrowed, was watching the trees.

' _Come on. Show yourself.'_

She kept her movements to a minimum, only turning her head by fractions. Still, the unknown figure remained hidden. The shadow of Mount Gargantuan cast the trees into near darkness, but Vayne was no stranger to seeing in the dark. Zenith, back on his feet, coughed impatiently.

Vayne whirled in infuriation, grabbing his collar with one fist. "Please. Will. You. Stay. Still," she growled exasperatedly. In return, Zenith scowled like a spoiled child.

"Vayne," Quinn murmured in a cautious, dry whisper. "Turn around. _Slowly._ " Vayne released Zenith, and slowly, carefully, turned back to the woods.

A shadowy figure was approaching them. It was difficult to discern from the dark shadows of the trees, but Vayne could pick out the basic shape. It seemed to be humanoid, if not a little taller than normal. It did not seem to walk in steps, but… _floated._ Where it passed, the shadows seemed to bend towards it. This thing was a potential threat. It was definitely dangerous.

With movements so practiced they were almost instantaneous, she pulled her crossbow from her back and aimed it directly at the silhouette. "Stay where you are!" Vayne shouted. The figure stopped, blending in with the surrounding shadows. "Identify yourself!" The figure tilted its head. Vayne blinked, and suddenly it seemed to disappear into the trees. She squinted, trying to identify the figure once more, but it was gone.

Quinn exhaled slowly. "What was that all about?" Vayne stared grimly at the spot the figure had vanished. "I don't know," she replied in a low voice, "but it seems that someone has been following us."

Zenith sneered. "Wow, thanks Captain Obvious. We didn't realize." Vayne sighed internally, then turned to face him. "If you want to get us all killed, please continue your actions," Vayne said coldly. "You've got to learn to listen to what I tell you. Someday we won't be as lucky as that." Zenith waved a dismissive hand. "Tch. Whatever."

"Fine," Vayne snapped. "If you want to be a brat, suit yourself." Turning to Quinn, she muttered angrily, "Come on."

Quinn held up her hands in surrender. "Hey, don't get angry at me." When Vayne strode away unresponsively, Quinn looked at Zenith. "Hey, maybe you should stop sniping at her all the time. She hasn't got a very good hold on her temper, and I think she's been having nightmares or something…" She trailed off when she saw Zenith was eyeing her warily. Quinn sighed resignedly, rubbing a tired hand over her eyes. "Sorry. I'm rambling again, aren't I?"

"Um. Yes. No. Your bird makes me nervous." Quinn giggled, and to her surprise, she saw him give a small smile. "His name is Valor. He's a Demacian eagle. I found him injured when he was small, so I took care of him. Someone had thrown a stone at him. But don't worry, he's okay now." She smiled, stroking Valor's feathers, and he nuzzled her fingers affectionately.

"Can I… can I touch him?" Zenith breathed hesitantly, reaching out a hand. "Sorry, not yet," she smirked apologetically, and saw him snatch his arm back hastily. "That's a good way to lose a few fingers. You have to earn his trust." Zenith frowned in confusion. "How will I know when that is?"

"You'll know. Now come on, we need to catch up. Vayne might be missing you."

"Ha ha."

* * *

They travelled until early evening, when the shadows were their longest. Vayne kept out a sharp eye for any more shadowy figures, although she doubted it would return today. Surprisingly, Quinn hung back with Zenith, and they conversed in low voices. She shrugged it off dismissively, although she was slightly perturbed. Quinn seemed to make friends far too quickly.

 _'Or,'_ whispered a voice from the corners of her mind, _'She trusts people. Unlike you.'_

 _'Shut up,'_ she growled in return. _'I don't care what you have to say.'_

This time, the voice remained silent. Shaking her head to clear out unwanted thoughts, she pointed exhaustedly to a small path that led away from the road.

"Here."

They followed it, and eventually came to a small grove of trees, which left adequate space in between them for the tents. Wordlessly, they set up the campsite, while Zenith sat beneath a tree and watched, for once not interrupting.

Too tired to bother with a meal, they crawled inside their tents and fell asleep.

* * *

Vayne woke with a gasp, becoming aware of her surroundings. She was lying, half in, half out, of her sleeping bag. Her skin was encased in a sheen of cold sweat, and her hand was gripping her crossbow. With a slight grunt, she pushed herself up to a sitting position. Her stomach rumbled hungrily. Something smelled nice. She pushed open the tent flaps and peered out.

Zenith and Quinn were sitting hunched around a campfire. Zenith was holding a thin stick, on which three sausages were slowly turning black. Quinn looked up, spotted Vayne, and waved cheerily. "Hi Vayne! Sleep well?" Vayne grimaced, dropping her head before she responded. "Can't really say I did. Is that breakfast?"

"Yep. Zenith feels he was being irrationally rude, so he… anyways, I'll let him apologise."

Zenith looked up. "Yeah, I guess I was being a little unreasonable." Vayne raised an eyebrow. "A little?" Zenith scratched the back of his head. "Alright, I was being pretty harsh. I mean, at least you guys aren't mistreating me. Anyway, I just wanted to say… sorry. To make up for the way I've been acting, I made us all breakfast."

"Thanks. Also, I think I owe you an apology too. Sorry. Zenith." Quinn clapped eagerly. "Yay! We're all good now! Come on over, Vayne!"

Vayne climbed out of the tent and strode over. Zenith took the stick out of the flames and placed the sausages on a flat rock. Gingerly, Vayne took one and bit into it. She swallowed hard and pulled a face. "Sorry Zenith, I know you're trying to make it up to me, but maybe let me cook next time, okay?"

Zenith managed a small grin. "Are you sure yours would be any better?" Vayne gave him a small shove. "Shut up, you. Let me try and finish this without throwing up."

Quinn gagged, and spat into the dirt. "Gee, Vayne, you really weren't kidding, were you?" She stood, throwing her sausage into the fire. It crackled sadly in the flames. "I think I'll pass on sausages. I'll have an apple."

"Aw come on!" Zenith protested. "It can't be that bad!" He took a bite. He chewed normally for a few moments, then his face contorted. Zenith began to emit strangled noises, which sounded remarkably like those of a duck being throttled.

Eventually, he gave in and spat it into the fire. "Fine, it tastes disgusting," he said, and gagged again. "It makes me sick just thinking about the taste." Quinn shrugged. "Warned you." Vayne slapped him on the back. "See? I told you that you need to listen to what I have to say. Now, how about some delicious apples?"

"Alright, fine."

Valor squawked happily as he landed next to the discarded sausages. Vayne smiled. "Well, at least that wasn't a _total_ waste."

"RREEEAACK!"

"Never mind. Let's go."

They munched on the apples as they walked. Mount Gargantuan was ever closer, and visible at the base of the mountain was what seemed to be a small village. Quinn swallowed, and pointed with her apple. "Look, there's a village. Tor'Whal, I think this one is. We're almost there." Vayne faltered, as the full realization of what they were about to do slammed into her. Zenith looked confused.

"You know, after the last day of straight walking in silence, you guys actually never told me where you were going. I mean, I _am_ being forced to go with you wherever you go, so, yeah."

Quinn turned, and took him by the shoulder. "We are going to Mount Gargantuan, the mountain nobody has ever climbed, to go to the Gralkin lair, where nobody has ever returned alive, to get some Gralking venom, which belongs to a near-unkillable creature born from darkness. Oh, and we need to return back to the Institute of War within 3 days to administer the venom in a dose for someone Vayne barely knows. Yep, I think I covered everything."

Zenith stopped. By this point, his mouth was hanging half open in a mixture of amazement, confusion, and horror. "You're going to the Gralkin lair? To kill the _Gralking?_ And all while dragging me along with you? Gee, don't I feel great about that."

Quinn gave a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, we don't feel too great about it either. At least, not me. But don't worry, we'll probably survive."

" _Probably?_ "

"Yeah, probably like a 50-50 chance."

"Great. _Grreeeaaat_. We're all going to die horribly."

"Don't think too much about it. You're just making it worse that it should be."

"Worse? _Worse?_ Are you kidding me? We're going to die- do you actually get that? WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"

Quinn frowned. "Well, I'm sorry, but hyperventilating won't help us survive much. We need to go about this calmly." Zenith took a deep breath. "You're right, I'm sorry. I just-" He broke off abruptly. "It's alright. It's nothing." Quinn took his hand, and gripped it. "It's okay," she whispered, staring into his eyes. "Calm."

He took a shaky breath. "Sorry, I've just never done anything like this before." Quinn clapped a hand onto his shoulder, and took a bite of her apple. "Let's catch up to Vayne. I don't even think she noticed any of that."

Up ahead, Vayne smiled.

* * *

 **A/N: hey everyone who still reads these. sorry about the routine delays, but im lazy, alright? give a guy a break. Just joking, you guys are pretty sound about the irregular updates. You're great about this kind of thing. I finally decided to write the rest of this chapter, which i started a couple of weeks ago. yeah. i got nothin. ONTO THE** **REVIEWS** **REVIEW!**

 **Haruzaki: thanks for the review, even if you don't follow the story** ** _all the time_** **, it is much appreciated. See, with every chapter, a new viewer joins, a new face. And it's nice to see more and more people reading. So thank you for that review, im glad you enjoyed.**

 **remember everyone, keep reviewing, be happy, etc etc.**

 **bbye**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Flying**

Zenith had been silent ever since Quinn had told him where they were going. Now, he pointed ahead, to the village. "We're almost there," he said in a monotone voice. He fell silent again. A few minutes later, they reached the village. By then, a multitude of tanned faces were staring out at them. There were excited faces, puzzled faces, pitying faces. The pitying faces outnumbered the rest, like they had seen this before. Then, with a jolt, Vayne realized they had. They had seen hundreds of travellers, dreamers, adventurers, all attempt to climb the mountain. They had seen them all fail.

The village itself was a small collection of brown huts, clustered together like a colony of ants. Helping each other, providing food for each other, working together to get things done. A startling change from modern cities such as Noxus, where the ten-year-old offering to carry your bags could actually be a sneak thief looking to steal them. To the side of the village, a cluster of stones stood, in neatly arranged rows.

Once they reached the village, the inhabitants swarmed around them, asking questions, shouting to be heard over all the others. Vayne couldn't understand what they were saying. They seemed to communicate in a fast-spoken, lilting way, like Ionian, but rougher, less refined. Vayne held her arms up, and stepped back. The villagers fell obediently silent. She spoke slowly, addressing each one in turn so that they could understand. "We are travellers. We wish to climb the mountain. We are just passing through your village." An elderly man, leaning heavily on a gnarled cane, stepped forward.

"You are not from here, no?" He spoke with a heavy accent. "I apologize. I have not used this language in many years. I am the village elder. You seek to climb the mountain, yes?" Vayne nodded in confirmation. She pointed to the mountain behind the village, towering above the clouds. "Yes. We wish to climb Mount Gargantuan."

The village stilled. Vayne looked around, bewildered. She looked back to the elder. "Did I say something...?" The elder shook his head. "You would not understand. Come. Bring your companions, and we will talk."

They started to walk away from the horde of villagers. Vayne glanced back, to where they were now huddling together and whispering incoherently among themselves. "What about them?" she asked the elder, gesturing to the villagers. "Who- Ah yes, the others." He turned back to the crowd, and shouted a few words back to them in their language. The crowd started to filter away, until it was just the four standing there.

Valor swooped from above, landing on Quinn's shoulder. The elder turned back to them, catching sight of the eagle. "Oh! Hello there, my friend!" He stroked the bird, who indignantly ruffled his feathers and turned his head away. The elder withdrew his hand, chuckling. "It seems your bird is a bit grumpy with me. Demacian eagle, I assume?" he said, addressing Quinn. She nodded, smiling. "Hmm, thought so. They do tend to be haughty towards strangers. Now. Let me introduce myself. My name is Zo'rai. What was I telling you about?"

"The mountain," Vayne replied. The Zo'rai's face darkened. "Ah yes. The mountain. The name you called it, Gargantuan- it has not used that name in a long time. It does not like it."  
"You say that like the mountain is alive."  
"Not alive. Aware. Tell me, what is your goal in climbing the mountain?"  
"We wish to find the Gralkin lair. Our friend was poisoned by a Gralkin, and we need to slay the Gralking to get the antidote."

The elder stopped, and turned to look at Vayne. "That place is not here," he said in a low voice. "The place you seek is on Mount Gargantuan."  
"But I thought you said that this mountain is- _was_ \- Mount Gargantuan."  
"Yes, it was- but this is not the true mountain you seek. The mountain you seek- Mount Gargantuan- resides in the Shadow Isles."

Vayne looked up at the mountain. "But I thought-"  
"I know what you thought. This mountain is not Gargantuan, and hasn't been for decades. This, is Mount Targon."  
"But how-?"  
"I will tell you, do not worry." The elder started walking away. The others fell into step beside him. "But first," he said, stopping abruptly. He gestured in front of him, where the stones Vayne had seen from outside the village lay. With a shock, she realized they were headstones. This was a graveyard.

When the elder spoke again, his voice sounded sad. "Behold. These stones mark the final resting place of all who have attempted to climb the great mountain." Vayne inhaled sharply. There were hundreds- thousands, almost. She shivered. The elder turned away from the graves, looking back to them. "Do you still want to climb it?" Vayne nodded firmly. "We have to." The elder sighed, as if he had expected her say that.

"Very well. Once upon a time, there was a place called the Blessed Isles." Vayne shivered. She knew all too well of the Blessed Isles- more commonly known as the Shadow Isles nowdays. Zo'rai continued, unaware of her mounting dread.

When the elder finished speaking, Vayne stared wordlessly up at the mountain.

' _All this- for nothing. We travelled all this way for nothing. We're too late to save Paddy now.'_

From the back of her mind, the voice returned.

 _'You IDIOT! You've gone the wrong way! Now how will you save your stupid friend?'_ It started to sing gleefully, a repetitive sound, drilling through her head. _'Paddy's gonna diiie, Paddy's gonna diiie, Paddy's gonna diiie, Paddy's gonna diiie…'_

Vayne slumped to her knees, clutching her head. _'SHUT UP! HE WON'T DIE! NO! SHUT UP!'  
'Paddy's gonna diiie, Paddy's gonna diiie…'  
'ShutupshutupshutupSHUTUP-'  
'Paddy's gonna diiie, Paddy's gonna diiie…'  
'SHUT UP! SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU GODDAMN-'_

A sudden burning pain brought her back to reality. Around her, Zenith and the elder were watching anxiously. Quinn stood in front of her, her hand still raised from the slap she had given Vayne. "Sorry," she said with concern, lowering her hand, "You weren't responding, I didn't know what to-"  
"That's okay," Vayne cut in shakily. Slowly, she stood. She could feel the eyes of the others trained on her, ready to see if she would fall again. The elder stepped forward. "Are you sure-" Vayne waved him off. "I'm fine."

Quinn looked at her. "What do we do now?" she asked quietly. "We'll never make it to Mount Gargantuan in time."

The elder stepped forward with a twinkle in his old eyes. "I think I can help with that. You see, once the mountains separated, they were never completely disconnected. At the very top, where the palace of the Ruined King once stood, is a portal."

Vayne's eyes widened. "Are you saying…" The elder smiled. "Yes. That portal leads to Mount Gargantuan." Zenith spoke up for the first time. "Maybe we shouldn't…" Vayne stared at him. "Are you kidding me? Somebody's life is on the line here!" Zenith shrugged uncomfortably. "I guess… Even so, how are we going to get to the summit in time? It'll take days, maybe weeks, to get all the way up- we don't have that long." Vayne felt her heart sinking again. As maddening as it was, she knew he was right. They couldn't possibly make it up the mountain and back down in the small time they had left.

Once again, Zo'rai had a solution. "Here," he said, taking off his necklace. It was a simple necklace, a string of small white beads threaded onto a thin but durable cord. "The beads are made from the tusks of an Ionian _yulka_ , and the cord woven from the mane of a Glacial Drake." He sighed, as if in memorial, or regret. "Two both very magical beasts." He held out the necklace to her with a tremor in his wrinkled hands.

Vayne looked uncertainly at the necklace. "Take it," urged the elder. "You'll make greater use of it than I." She smiled, taking the necklace and hanging it around her neck. It settled on her chest, and Vayne felt like she had regained a part of her that had been missing her entire life. "What does it do?" asked Vayne hesitantly. Zo'rai blinked. "Hmm? Oh yes. When you want to fly, simply whisper to it ' _sora.'"_

Vayne nodded, committing the word to memory. They thanked the elder, and turned to leave. "Vayne?" called the elder, although they hadn't told him any of their names. Vayne turned. Zo'rai was leaning wearily on his cane. His eyes gave a flicker of sadness when he saw the necklace. "Take care of him, won't you?"

' _Him?'_

Vayne nodded. "Of course. I will take care of him." She turned back to where her friends stood waiting. She nodded, once. "Alright. Let's go."

* * *

It took roughly ten minutes to get out of the village and to the base of the mountain. Quinn and Zenith had been chatting to one another, as if they were on an outing instead of their suicide mission. They were scared, anxious. Vayne was silent, turning the elder's last words to her around in her head. ' _Take care of him, won't you?'_ What did 'him' mean, exactly? Vayne had a sneaking suspicion that the old man was slightly mad.

Once they reached the bottom of Mount Targon, they looked up. The mountain towered above them, huge as ever, but not as ominous anymore. Vayne felt a tingle of anticipation dart up her spine. _'This is it.'_

Holding the necklace up to her lips, Vayne whispered to it. " _Sora."_

The necklace shined, bathing their faces in a pale blue glow. A wisp of light detached from the necklace, and floated away from them. It then started to form itself, in some semblance of order. When the wisp was done, they watched in awe, as a shape seemed to materialize from nothing. It was long, coated in pale blue scales, the same colour as the glow that had emanated from the necklace. It had a white mane, which seemed to glitter in the late afternoon sun, and spiked ridges ran down its spine like tiny mountain ranges. It roared, unfurling two huge wings and nearly blotting out the sky.

It was a dragon.

The dragon turned its golden gaze upon them, and stood, still as a statue. Waiting. ' _For orders,'_ Vayne realized. Clearing her throat, Vayne called out to the dragon. "Dragon! We need to fly to the top of this mountain!"

Nothing happened. The dragon didn't move. It still waited unblinkingly. Valor clucked, obviously not very impressed. "Dammit," Vayne muttered. "Why didn't that work?"

"Maybe it needs a name," suggested Quinn.  
"Great. I'm terrible with names."  
"Ooh, how about Twinkle?"  
"No. That sounds stupid."  
"Aw c'mon."  
"Twinkle the dragon? Seriously, no."

While they were busy arguing, Zenith ran towards the dragon, flinging his arms around its neck. The dragon looked down in surprise. "I'm gonna call you Dave," he said, his voice muffled by the dragon. Dave the dragon nuzzled Zenith, then flicked him up with his tail. Zenith landed with an _oof_ on the dragon's back. Recovering quickly, he motioned for the others to join him. "C'mon guys! I want to see how fast Dave can fly!"

Quinn groaned. "Great, now he's gone and named it Dave." Vayne shrugged. "Dave is fine by me. As long as it isn't Twinkle."  
"Hey!"

Dave flicked them up, one by one, onto his back. "Huh," said Vayne with surprise, "I didn't expect riding a dragon bareback would be so comfortable." Dave turned to stare at her. ' _Comfortable?'_ his gaze seemed to say. _'Maybe for you.'_

Vayne laughed, reaching past Zenith to pat Dave's head. "Sorry. We'll try not to be too heavy." The dragon grunted, turning his head away. Vayne hesitated, then passed the necklace to Zenith. His eyes widened. "Really? You're giving this to me?" Vayne nodded with a smirk. "I can take it back if you want…?" Zenith snatched it off her, shaking his head. "Nope, nope, too bad, it's mine now! He likes me better anyway!" He hung it around his neck. "Awesome," he whispered, drawing out the vowels. Vayne nudged him out of his trance. "Uh, Zenith? We need to go now." Zenith shook himself. "Right! Dave, fly us to the top of the mountain! Fast as you can!" Dave snorted contemptuously, then took off like a rocket, his wings pumping against the air. Vayne barely had time to throw her arms around Zenith's waist before they left the ground. She felt Quinn do the same as they rapidly accelerated upwards. Quinn rested her head on Vayne's shoulder. "Quinn, get off." Quinn grumbled, removing her head. "Fine, geez."

Up the front, Zenith was having the time of his life, whooping and laughing as they shot up the mountain, a far cry from the silent boy from before. Below, they could barely see the mountain dwellers, flashing by; the Solari, the Rakkor, and the Lunari temples, all but one bustling with movement. As they shot higher and higher, they could see less and less, before they were passing through the clouds. It was cold, and damp, and by the time they made it out, all three were soaked to the skin. However, this was not for long, as they quickly dried from the extreme speeds Dave flew at. Quinn and Zenith squinted, then turned away, the wind stinging their eyes. Vayne was grateful for her glasses, but it still felt like her face was peeling off.

The summit of the mountain was rapidly approaching. Dave grunted, then put on a final burst of speed, his wings propelling him forward swiftly. "We're almost there!" shouted Vayne at the top of her lungs. "What?" Quinn yelled back. Zenith couldn't even hear at all. The wind howled, desperately trying to drag them back with clutching fingers, as if it knew where they were going and didn't like it. Then suddenly, it all stopped. Vayne looked down. The summit of the mountain, or what should have been the summit, hung below them. It did not have a top; instead, it was flat, as if someone had sheared off the top with a giant sword. The mountain itself was hollow, like a volcano. But instead of lava, there was a vortex of crackling purple energy, swirling deep inside the mountain. On the rim of the crater, stone constructs barely stood, weathered by the elements. All that remained of the Ruined King's once-great palace.

They hung in the air for a moment, then began to drop rapidly. The summit got closer. Closer. Closer still. They were barely a house's width away. Vayne squeezed her eyes shut and braced for the impact that would surely follow.

It didn't. Instead, Vayne was filled with a different sensation than the rushing, plummeting feeling. She felt like a feather; drifting slowly, carelessly. She opened her eyes as they landed with a _thump_. Quinn slid sideways and practically fell off the dragon. Somehow, she managed to stay on her feet. "I feel like I left my stomach somewhere back on the ground," she moaned. Vayne and Zenith jumped down after her. Her legs wobbled for a moment, then steadied. She struggled to speak without throwing up. "Zenith. Next time maybe don't tell Dave to go as fast he can." Zenith looked at her innocently from next to Dave. The dragon mirrored his expression. "Why not? That's your punishment for taking me prisoner." Vayne frowned. "I thought that was your terrible breakfast."  
"Nah, the breakfast was for making me sleep outside the first night."

Vayne waved a dismissive hand at him, then turned to help Quinn before she fell back down the mountain. "Blergh. I don't feel so good," Quinn said, holding her stomach. Vayne looped an arm around her shoulders, steadying her. Quinn let out a loud _burp_. "Better," she sighed. She pushed Vayne's arm off her. "I'm fine now, thanks."

Together, they walked back towards Zenith, where he was patting Dave with renewed vigor. The dragon snorted, pushing Zenith off him with his tail. He sat up straight, with his tail coiled around him, and watched Zenith. He looked remarkably like a cat. Vayne arrived next to Zenith, Quinn trailing behind, Valor finally back on her shoulder.

Vayne nudged Zenith. "I think he's waiting for orders." Zenith turned to her. "So am I." Vayne looked around. They were fairly near the middle. Further away, Vayne could see the sorry remains of one of the palace walls. She took another moment to scan the mountaintop, then nodded brusquely. "Alright. The portal is right over there. Dismiss Dave, and we'll head in." Zenith held the necklace up to his mouth, and whispered _sora_. In a blue flash, Dave was sucked back into the necklace. He looked at it with an unreadable expression. "Do you think he likes it in there?"

Vayne considered this for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't think it's like that. It's probably just like sleeping- the next thing he knows, he'll be awake again." She patted his shoulder reassuringly. "He'll be fine."

Zenith nodded. Vayne took he and Quinn by the shoulder, and steered them towards the crater, which was barely ten metres from where they landed. They reached the edge, the vortex still churning with that purple energy. Zenith shut his eyes. "Don't like swimming," he mumbled. Quinn, on the other hand, spread her arms out, as if welcoming an old friend, then tipped forwards, plummeting directly downwards, Valor following her with a screech.

Zenith still had his eyes shut. "Count to three, then push me in." Vayne grinned mischievously. "Alright. Here we go. "One, two-" she gave Zenith a shove. He screamed as fell, arms and legs flailing ungracefully. Vayne took a deep breath, then stepped in after him. She braced herself for the impact, but once again, it never came. Vayne went hurtling into darkness.

* * *

 **A/N: And alas, another chapter is over. my longest yet, in fact. i am so** ** _very_** **pleased with myself. I have nothing much to say. no apologies. it wasnt late this time. i had to cram a lot of words into this chapter, because in the next chapter, obviously, they will be facing the gralkins. so look forward to that. however, that will also be the final chapter of vayne for a while. i hope you all enjoyed this chapter. onto le reviews:**

 **acquila100: aw hell yeah, he loves it! Unfortunately, life gives me** ** _plenty_** **of time to do it. im just really lazy. Even more unfortunately, you will find, is that all my inspiration is for the** ** _later_** **chapters, like at the very end. i really try my best not to rush these chapters, guys. please believe me. Buuuut, i actually am having a blast writing this. i love it almost as much as you guys out there! THAAAAAAANK YOOOOOOOOU  
P.S: maybe try signing off with a100? idk. **

**Haruzaki: thanks for all those compliments, man. but believe it or not, i am not as cool as this story will be. coz IT WILL BE AWESOME! thx thx**

 **THANK YOU FOR ALL TWO OF THOSE REVIEWS! It might be hard to wrap your head around, but I am a real person. I laugh. I cry. I get really pissed sometimes. But every time i see a new review posted, i try to respond in the most honest way possible. Despite all the jokes. So thank you, all of you, who have been showing me support. Because i really appreaciate it. I swear i'm not writing so much to get extra word counts. (And I said i had nothing to say.)**

 **bbye**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: The Lair**

Vayne felt as if she was drifting. Beside her, she could see a girl, who seemed to be her age, blinking hazily. A blue bird clutched miserably to her shoulder, feathers wet and bedraggled. _Wet?_

Vayne looked down. Sinking slowly was a boy, his shock of brown hair waving gently like seaweed. She thought she felt something, niggling at the far reaches of her subconscious. The fading echoes of a memory. Vayne struggled to recall it, to bring it forth, but it stayed back stubbornly, nagging. She gave up, instead letting herself float through the currents. _Currents?_

She thought she remembered something. She was sure it was important. But what exactly was it? Two brown eyes stared at her admiringly. A white flash of someone laughing, smiling. Dimples. The person had dimples.

 _Vengeance._

All of a sudden, Vayne was awake. She was sinking through the depths of an unknown sea. Things lurked, at the edges of her vision, in the cover of darkness. She knew the feeling.

 _Zenith._

She looked down in a panic. Zenith was still sinking, unmoving. Down, down. The shapes below were circling in anticipation. Why didn't he try to swim?

' _Don't like swimming.'_

 _Goddammit, Zenith._

Vayne kicked out, her strong legs propelling her downwards. Luckily, he was sinking fairly slowly. She reached out, got a grasp on his collar. The things moaned and thrashed in disappointment. Pulling him with her, she swam upwards. Darkness was creeping into the edges of her vision, and it was getting hard to hold her breath.

' _Yes…'_ sneered the voice, _'Give up, weakling. Leave your friends to drown.'_

With a grunt of effort, she redoubled her efforts. The surface was so close…

 _Just a little further…_

Vayne couldn't hold it any longer. She closed her eyes and gasped, breaking the surface. Zenith woke up when he cleared the water, but he was still sluggish. Vayne looked around frantically, spotting a rocky ledge barely two metres away. She dragged Zenith over, dumping him there, where he groaned, and sat up. Vayne ignored him, and kicked off the ledge over to Quinn, who was still drifting aimlessly below the surface. She dove under, making her way over to Quinn against the currents. Valor struggled briefly when he saw her, but fell still again.

Slowly, Quinn turned her head towards her and blinked drowsily, looking through Vayne with a vacant stare. She grabbed Quinn by the collar and looped an arm around her shoulders. Quinn wasn't fighting her. In fact, she wasn't doing much of anything. She yawned.

 _Underwater?_

Vayne shook off her concerns, putting her full efforts into saving Quinn. Desperately, she clawed at the water, straining with the effort. Finally, after Vayne's lungs were about to give up from the lack of oxygen, they broke the surface. Quinn's eyes were wide open in an instant. She started to kick her legs, helping Vayne swim along.

They made it back to the ledge. Vayne got out first, Zenith hauling her up by one arm. Vayne collapsed onto the rock as Zenith pulled up Quinn. Vayne saw his hand linger on hers for a second longer, then drop hastily as Valor snapped his beak. Zenith stepped away, cradling his hand protectively and glaring at the eagle. He sat down as far away from Valor as possible and turned his head away. Quinn stifled a giggle.

Vayne lay on the rock, panting with exhaustion. After a few moments catching her breath, she realized something. She wasn't wet. Sure, she was still freezing- it felt like her limbs were falling off- but she was perfectly dry. She propped herself onto one elbow and surveyed the water. Then, with a shock, she saw there was no water at all- only that churning, purple energy. She flopped back down with a groan.

Quinn's sharp eyes caught the gesture. "What's wrong?" she inquired, dropping down to one knee to talk to Vayne. "Still tired?"  
"I'm exhausted," she replied. "My muscles are killing me."  
Quinn tilted her head to one side. "It wasn't that far, was it?"  
"It was when you take into account that I was swimming against the currents. And dragging you two along. And holding my breath."  
Quinn nodded wisely. "Yes. Holding your breath when you didn't have to."  
"What do you mean?"  
"We weren't _in_ water, remember? We were in that portal."  
"So?"  
"Uh, you don't need to breathe in magical portals. Dummy."  
"Now you tell me."  
"Sorry. I was underwater- I mean underportal."  
"Someday, I will kill you. Slowly and painfully."  
"Ha ha."  
"That wasn't a joke."

Vayne shook her head, and sat up. "Help me up," she grunted, holding out her hand. Quinn took it, and heaved her up. Vayne turned away, scanning the rock face. "We passed the mountain's first test. Now all we have to do is find a way out of this damned hole."

* * *

Eventually, they got Valor to carry them out one by one. No matter how much Zenith wanted to, they couldn't risk summoning Dave. The last thing they needed right now was a ten metre dragon, lighting up the sky. It was like screaming, "HEY! EVIL CREATURES THAT LIVE IN THE SHADOW ISLES! COME AND KILL ME!"

They made sure Zenith went first, just in case Valor decided to- accidently- drop him. Luckily, he didn't. Then, Quinn went up, and finally, Vayne. When she landed on the crater, she stifled a gasp.

What lay before them was a vast, shadowy landscape. Dark clouds hung far above them, providing them with a bird's eye view of the Shadow Isles. They were shrouded in a sickly green mist, the dark, twisted trees, said to be carnivorous, inhabiting most of them. The only island not overrun by them was the one on which they stood. Far below, they could barely see the faint outline of a large palace.

The mountain itself was like a dream turned nightmare. Black snow shrouded the mountain, smooth and surreal. Only a few scraggly trees stood, withered by corruption. Dark flakes drifted down from the sky, looking more like ash than anything. A voice rang through her head from ten years ago, from the solemn priest that spoke the words at the funeral. _  
'Ashes to ashes.'  
'Dust to dust._'

Vayne shivered, shoving the dark memories out of her head. "It's like a different world," said Quinn, looking around uneasily. "It's giving me the shivers."

Far above, they heard a menacing shriek. Dark shapes twisted in the clouds, screaming their hunger. Vayne looked up sharply, and swore. "Gralkins. Everyone, move slowly towards that cave over there."

They edged towards it, their legs sinking into the snow. Vayne felt perspiration starting to form on her neck, which instantly froze. Her heart was pounding so loudly, she was sure that the Gralkins could hear it. She was acutely aware of how slowly they were moving through the snow, but they couldn't risk trying to outpace them.

Suddenly Vayne heard Zenith stumble and give out a curse. Quinn slapped a hand over his mouth, but the damage was done. There came an enraged screech, and they saw the Gralkins start to dive towards them, their wings bristling with acid-green feathers. "Run!" Vayne shouted, making a dash towards the cave. Valor took off, zooming into the low entrance. The snow sucked at their boots, trying to make them fall. Vayne gritted her teeth, feeling her muscles begin to burn again. They were almost there.

They dove into the cave, only to hear the sound of needle-sharp quills thudding softly into the snow. The Gralkins wheeled away, shrieking in confusion. The trio waited until their cries faded, then Vayne sat up, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "Whew." She got up and dusted herself off. Quinn stood up, pulling Zenith after her as Valor landed on her shoulder. It was pitch black. Vayne pulled out a small electric lantern, powering it on.

Quinn let out a gasp. Scrawled across the walls, occupying every free space, were drawings. Some were lighter, some were darker, but all were done in a rusted red colour.

Dried blood.

The drawings mostly depicted swarms of birdlike creatures, which Vayne recognised as Gralkins, chasing or consuming stick figures. Few drawings also showed a large, hastily drawn arachnid. Vayne ran her hand over it. "The Gralking," she murmured.

"I hate spiders," muttered Quinn. "Give me the creeps."

In the centre of the floor, scribbled incessantly in manic lettering, were words. Vayne knelt for a closer look. Without turning her head, she beckoned the others nearer. "Guys," she called, "I think you should see this." The others crowded around her, trying to make out the words in the dim light. Quinn swallowed. "It's a warning."

 _'Enter travellers, if you dare,  
For inside lies the Gralkin lair.  
If you're brave enough to enter,  
Find what you seek in the centre.  
But should you dare to make a sound,  
Be still, and you will not be found.  
To the Gralkins, should you fall prey,  
Give up all hopes to see the day.'_

Zenith gulped. "Well that's ominous." Vayne examined it again. "And also very helpful," she replied. "Look, there's a map next to it." Sure enough, a rough sketch of the cave was drawn next to the warning, with a large arrow pointing to the centre in exclamation. "Perfect."

Quinn frowned. "Doesn't that mean we're _in_ the Gralkin cave?"  
"Yes."  
"What about the ones that were chasing us before?"

A shriek echoed from outside.

"Uh oh."

The Gralkins swarmed in, surrounding the intruders. Their beady eyes seemed to glare as three of the largest swooped forward, grabbing each of them before they could blink. Valor screeched, raking his claws across the one that held Quinn. The Gralkin didn't even flinch. It lashed out with its wings, one catching Valor across the shoulder with a terrible _crack._ He fell, one wing fluttering uselessly.

"Valor!" Quinn cried. She held out her arms, catching him and hugging him to her chest. "Are you alright?" Valor's eyes were glazed over with pain. His wing twitched, twisted at almost one-hundred-and-eighty degrees the wrong way. He managed a weak croak. Quinn squeezed her eyes shut, clutching him gently to her chest. "It'll be okay, Valor." Glistening tears made tracks through the grime on her face.

With another screech, the Gralkins started to move, their wings beating as they maintained formation. They sped through the tunnels, heading down, the Gralkins not even needing to stop. They hung from the creatures' grasp like a sack of potatoes. Nobody struggled.

Finally, the narrow tunnels opened up into a huge cavern, the ceiling high above in darkness. The floor was littered with bones, and a strangely shiny material.

Vayne blinked. Zenith rubbed his eyes. Quinn gazed around, her mouth agape.

The floor was _covered_ in treasure.

Gold, precious stones, weapons and suits of armour, all glinting in the light of the lantern that Vayne held. There was tonnes of it. The Gralkins dropped the three onto the ground, and flew off, still screeching. Vayne sat up. "Stars above," she gasped, scooping up the coins, then letting them slip through her fingers. "Look at all this!"

"So much…" Zenith said in awe. "Hey, maybe I can find a weapon here!"

Zenith picked a black bow, the edges glinting. There was no bowstring, only a line of shadow connecting the two ends. It glowed with a strange ebony light. He wrinkled his nose. "Not really my thing," he said, throwing it to the ground. It separated, and suddenly Zenith was left staring at two curved black daggers. He picked them up, then held the handles together experimentally. The daggers pulsed, then the black energy wrapped around the two handles, converting it back into the bow. "Now that," Zenith grinned, "is freaking awesome."

Vayne walked over to Quinn, who was cradling Valor in her arms. She held out a pale green stone. "Here. Try this on Valor." Quinn sniffled, wiping her tears away. She took the stone from Vayne and held it over Valor's chest, where his heart was. The stone crumbled into nothing, showering Valor in dust. The dust remained there for a moment, then disappeared.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, to their surprise, Valor's wing started to mend. It bent back into its original position, then flopped back down. A minute later, Valor opened his eyes. Quinn threw her arms around him. "Valor!" The eagle let out a protesting squawk. Quinn released him, and he soared up, till the light barely reached him. He swooped, letting out a joyous cry that bounced off the walls.

Quinn watched him with a smile. "Thanks Vayne," she said, nudging her with a shoulder. "If you hadn't found that stone, Valor would still be injured."

Vayne frowned. "I was just thinking about that. It can't be a coincidence. Zenith found that weapon, because he said he wanted one. Then, when he said 'bows aren't his thing', they mysteriously turn into two daggers. And now, I just _happened_ to find the one stone out of all the others that has healing powers? I don't think so."

Quinn raised an eyebrow. "Well, what do you think is causing this?"

Vayne shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe the mountain affected it somehow?" She pointed to a gold crown, studded with diamonds. "Put that on and wish for light." Quinn picked it up, and placed it on her head. The crown lit up in a blaze of light, bathing the whole room in its brilliance. She took off the crown, tossing it away, and the light started to fade. She shrugged. "Well, there you go. The mountain is magic." Zenith whooped with excitement. "That's awesome! We could do anything with power like that! We could end world conflict! We could save drowning orphan babies! We could-"

"Wait." A thought had occurred to Vayne. "Why did the Gralkins take us here? I thought…"

Vayne didn't get a chance to finish. With a roar, something huge dropped down from the ceiling, landing with a _crash_ that shook the chamber. Vayne dove down into the treasure, pulling the others down with her. Valor disappeared above, into the darkness.

Nobody moved. Nobody made a sound. The cavern was silent.

After what seemed like hours of lying in the treasure, Vayne climbed to her feet. "I think it's gone. Quick, we should get out of here before it returns," she whispered. "But just in case, be _quiet_." As Quinn and Zenith staggered to their feet, Zenith's foot got caught on the crown Quinn had thrown away barely five minutes ago. It made a loud clang. Zenith froze with one foot in the air, hardly daring to breathe. A few moments later, he breathed a sigh of relief…

…only to put his foot onto a discarded gong.

There was a bone-shaking roar, as a volley of white projectiles shot out of the darkness, three of which scored direct hits onto them. They were knocked down, and Vayne hit her head on something hard. The world started to go out of focus, and over the ringing in her ears, she thought she could hear Zenith protesting to Quinn desperately. Something about people leaving gongs on the floor…

Her vision faded, and she was in darkness. She sat up. "Hello?" she called. "Quinn? Zenith? Anyone?" Vayne took a step, and stumbled. Walking in darkness was disconcerting. She started moving forwards, hoping she would eventually find _something_.

"Vayne."

She spun at the sound of her name. "Paddy?" He was standing behind her, hands in pockets. His eyes flickered with regret when he saw her. "I can feel myself weakening. If I don't make it…"  
"You will. I won't give up. You're going to make it," she said fiercely.  
He actually chuckled a little at that. "I know, Vayne. But if I don't… you can't blame yourself for it. Don't beat yourself up over an old man. I've lived my fair share of life, and I know it doesn't always seem right. But you have to move on. You have to _learn_ to move on."  
"I'm not moving on. Because you aren't going to die."

He smiled sadly. "You're stubborn, Vayne. Just like your parents. But life isn't perfect. It disappoints. It knocks you down. But you have to get back up. Always."

Vayne shook her head. "You aren't going anywhere yet, Paddy. I will bring the antidote."  
He nodded. "About the antidote. It doesn't just heal this poison, Vayne. It can heal _anything_."  
"Anything…?"  
"Any injury of any sort."

Vayne started. "I should get back. My friends are in danger." Paddy nodded. "Get going, then. But one more thing." His eyes glistened. "Just promise me you'll look after them. Jonny, Tyson… Angie. Please tell me you won't let them hurt. Protect them for me, okay?"  
"I will, Paddy. I will."

Vayne closed her eyes, and woke up into the nightmare.

* * *

 **A/N: hello. i'm bloody tired, even though its only nine thirty. heres another chapter. yay. cliffhangers. yay.**

 **reevoos: yay.**

 **Haruzaki: thx for loving the story. quinn is quite silly at times, but we all love her, really.**

 **thx, review, bla bla ble. yay.**

 **bbye**


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